IMPORTERS’ TROUBLES

Southland Times, Issue 17657, 15 February 1916, Page 2

IMPORTERS’ TROUBLES

SHORT SUPPLIES AND HIGH FREIGHTS. NEW ZEALAND’S POSITION. The war has modifier! the views of* many free traders and protectionists, ■ and Is forcing all countries concerned to' willy-nilly rely more and more upon themselves for meeting their own requirements (says the Wellington Post). The ruinous policy of all going out and nothing coming in has been forcing itself upon the Mother Country, which, so far as food is concerned, •is marvellously productive, but is still compelled to import staple requirements such as wheat and flour, meat, butter, cheese, cotton and wool, hides and skins, and tallow —not all of which are furnished hy the British dominions. Various rather drastic expedients have been resorted to to counteract the effects of the sending out of the United Kingdom vast sums of money instead of goods as formerly to pay for the imported goods. In a small way this leakage might he made good by the dominions continuing and expanding their business relations with the Mother Country, and diverting some trade from other countries, as some set-off for the heavy exports of foodstuffs and raw materials. But, unfortunately, there, is not the tonnage to bring the goods out when they are ready to ship, and in any case deliveries are months behind. An importer of Sheffield goods, for example, whose order was placed with manufacturers as far back as February last, is only just now, twelve months later, receiving hjs goods, and of the quantities ordered only about one-fifth are supplied.

Again, ever-increasing freights are seriously delaying further business, even if there were a prospect of orders coming to hand within a reasonable time — which there is not. From the United States, the difficulty of obtaining goods is even greater, and freights from there to this country are stupendous. The dominions are evidently anxious to put all the business they can in the way of the Old Country manufacturer, but apparently he cannot execute all the orders required, even at enhanced prices, and if he can he cannot obtain nearly enough shipping to bring the goods out,, and what freight is available it at very high rates, compared with rates ruling even twelve months ago, to say nothing of pre-war rates.