NEW ZEALAND’S TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1923, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND’S TRADE.

OUTLOOK ENCOURAGING. ' FUTURE PROSPERITY. DEPENDENT ON PRODUCE. By Telegraph—Press Assn —Copyright. London, Dec. 20. Mr. Elmslie, British Trade Commissioner, in his report on New Zealand trade, says: “While the outlook is encouraging it is still too early to sneak confidently of future prospects, since some of the effects of the post-war inflation have not yet been fully felt. The prosperity of the Dominion in the near future must depend on the world’s values of dairy produce, meat and wool. It is not safe to assume that values have yet been reduced to a sound economic level.” Mr. Elmslie discusses whether land values in New Zealand are still too high, but points out that it is noteworthy that the highest prices at recent land sales have been paid by farmers of long experience of what the land can produce with skilful management. The value of dairy land can be greatly increased even at the present low prices for produce. The Dominion is now buying approximately on the same scale as in 1914, and the British can only obtain a further share of New Zealand trade by adopting the designs of their mnufactures to suit New Zealand requirements and organising selling methods to meet foreign competition on equal terms. The tariff preference given British goods is so considerable and the desire to trade within the Empire is so genuine that, if British firms take the trouble to establish personal touch with the New* Zealand market, foreign goods can practically be excluded.