DOMINION’S PROGRESS

Southland Times, Issue 22767, 18 December 1935, Page 5

DOMINION’S PROGRESS

INTEREST IN GREAT BRITAIN. TRADE COMMISSIONER’S TOUR. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, December 17. “In the course of my tour on duty I visited 20 of the more important commercial centres of the United Kingdom and saw something like 450 representatives of various manufacturing interests, and almost without exception • these men showed an astonishing interest in New Zealand,” remarked Mr R. Boulter, his Majesty’s Trade Commissioner in New Zealand, who returned by the Rangitane to-night. In Great Britain, he said, there was very wide interest in the progress New Zealand was making towards recovery and the sincere hope that the country would be able to buy an increasingly large volume of Home manufactures. So far as the trend toward improved conditions in the United Kingdom was concerned Mr Boulter was particularly pleased to find considerable activity in the manufacture of metal goods; factories in many parts were extremely busy. In Sheffield they had more work in hand than at any time since 1929. That was true also of other centres which specialized in metal working. Such a position was due largely to the steady development of motor vehicles, to satisfactory agreements between steel manufacturers in England with those on the Continent and to some extent also to the improvement in the shipbuilding trade. The wool centres were all reasonably busy. The trend in this direction was indicated quite firmly by the prices at the wool sales. One of the striking features noticed by Mr Boulter on his tour was the capacity of the Home market to expand; it provided unexpected power to absorb labour. There was a fairly general improvement in trading conditions at Home and everywhere bettei - times were anticipated. It was recognized, however, that the ultimate fruition of efforts toward recovery could be achieved only when trade barriers were done away with. Although not directly concerned with primary products from New Zealand, Mr Boulter said he had a number of inquiries for New Zealand butter and he was pleased to say that some very appreciative references were made concerning its quality.