IMPERIAL AND ALLIED TRADE.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13872, 14 September 1915, Page 6

IMPERIAL AND ALLIED TRADE.

["United Press Association.]

Wellington, Sept. -13. A public meeting was held at the Town Hall to-night in furtherance- of the campaign inaugurated by the New Zealand Federation of Chambers of Commerce to develop inter-Imperial trade. The Mayor (Mr J. P. Luke) presided, and there were also present Sir Joseph Ward, the Hon. A. L. Hordraan, Mr W. G. Wickham (British Trade Commissioner), and leading mercantile men.

The Mayor, in- opening, referred to the growth of Germany's foreign i-r;nk> in recent years, during which British countries had apparently helped to provide Germany with the sinews of war for the campaign «he was now waging. That should not be, and the object of the conveners of-that mooting, was to end such a state of affairs. They should cease for all time to have trade relations with a country whose conduct had been such as they could not respect.

Sir Joseph Ward, dwelt on the importance of developing and protecting the. country's trade. They must do all that was possible to increase the trade of the Empire, tuul to cement trade in-. terests between themselves and their ■Allies. 'During the' last eight month:} before the war the imports into New Zealand from Germany were valued at £I.] 16.000, though tire actual German goods so imported were valued at only £620,000. That illustuated the importance of the now system of showing, not only the port of shipment; but also the place of origin of goods. Austrian goods imported were valued at £49,000, and Turkish goods at about the sain© sum. New Zoalanders should -therefore remember the trials, perils, and sacrifices they were now going tlnough because of the war that had been forced upon the world by Gerroany, and they should determine not to trade again" with enemy countries. Their policy should be preference to the Mother Country, preference" to the sister dominions, preference to the Empire's Allies. (Applause.) And he was inclined to say that he was not preparto condemn the present attitude of the United States. America had supplied Britain and her Allies with 175 millions sterling worth of munitions, and if she had been at war she could not have done that. America, too, had thrown open her ports to some of New Zealand's most important, products. The Hon. A L./Herdman congratulated the Chambers of Commerce on thie j step they were taking. ' Our first duty to-day' was. to kill our enemies, and the second" wns to do dur utmost to give the British Empire <a new lease of life, j No nation ever did so great a-wrong to the-world as*' Germany, and victory over her armies would not b© a sufficient penalty. They must see Germany crushed and trodden under foot, and the German people wrecked politically, socially, and commercially. The interests of international justice demanded such a sentence, and justice would not bo satisfied until that sentence had ■ been carried ■ out.. (Applause.) ■' ' . ■ The meeting earned resolutions urgiug the difjjjsion of. all import and •■export tradeSJMrcerly earned on with Germany tc^BLntries within the .Lrapire, or t6*Bied countries, and urging -the Government to impose a surtax after the war is over on goods ±ro:n present enemy colin^r^^;., M , ir