GERMAN TRADE

Southland Times, Issue 17679, 17 June 1914, Page 6

GERMAN TRADE

THE ASSAULT BY GERMANY',

ON AUSTRALASIAN COMMERCE,

' (Per United Press Association), WELLINGTON. June 16. Some further information regarding the assault by Germany on Australasian trade was received In business circles by to-day’s English mail. It appears that the German Association for the World’s Commerce, one of the greatest trade combines ever known, has had the present move in mind for considerably over eighteen months. When the mail left England there was apparently no concern in Gorman trade circles regarding Die Norddoutcher Lloyd contract; it was a foregone conclusion that the contract for the Australian service would not he allowed to lapse. The most important development in connection with Germany’s new move, however, lias just come to light. A Times representative learnt that two trade commissioners appointed by the Association of the World’s Commerce would arrive in New Zealand about the beginning of September. One of them will take up permanent quarters in Wellington and the other will bo stationed in Australia. it is proposed to open a branch office for the German Trade Commissioner in Auckland. Already, it is understood, office accommodation has been secured in both Wellington and Auckland for the purposes of the commissioner. Recently German business firms subscribed twelve thousand five hundred pounds sterling to advertise German goods in Australia, and this sum was subsidised U for ■£! by the German t Government. TDis, it is stated, was the instigation of the Kaiser, who is reported to bn taking an extraordinary omount of personal interest in the new development. It is understood that the two German commissioners who are coming to Australasia will have the spending of twenty-live thousand pounds sterling, to be devoted purely to advertising.