TRADE WITH CANADA

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1929, Page 12

TRADE WITH CANADA

BUTTER FROM NEW ZEALAND POLITICAL LEADER’S ATTACK. “DESTROYING OUR INDUSTRY.” . Vancouver, Sept. 3. The most comprehensive attack ye.t made on New Zealand butter entering Canada under the reciprocity treaty is now being made by the Leader of the Federal-Opposition, -Hon. -R. B. Bennett,.in a tour; of Canada-Rarely a day. passes without Mr; Bennett . indicating ' new evils in the treaty. ... The purpose of Mr. Bennett’s tour is, to explain the'attitude of the Conservatives toward the projected United States tariff. In this-, connection ■ he blames the Mackenzie King Government for the loss of- 700,000 Canadians who have migrated south- in the . last seven yeans, Mr. Bennett says that’ Canada, least of-all-countries,.protects her people fiscally. . He . would- promote- Canadian trade- and . manufactures by protective, tariffs, bounties and drawbacks, and rewrite all trade treaties so as to prevent unfair competition, by cheaper goods-from abroad, even thoughtthey ar® British-niade'..‘.He says he is-firmly convinced- that thd Canadian farmer is unduly -harrassed by this competition, especially from- United States fruit' and New Zealand butter. . “I am told,” says Mr. Bennett, “thatNew Zealand is part of the British Empire-and that I should not coinplain about its -butter coming into.. Canada. What is the difference? It is destroying our industry. It merely shows they have men in New Zealand whom we ought to have in Canada.” Since New Zealand farmers could hardly be expected to bring their dairy herds, their equable climate and their rich pastures to Canada, it is difficult to see the point of Mr. Bennett’s comment in this connection. * WHAT NEW ZEALAND MIGHT DO. The Conservative leader has not seen fit to discuss, during this or any of his many campaigns against New Zealand butter, the effect of his., professed desire, to abrogate the. treaty. In other words, the steps New Zealand might be expected to take if her butter —the present season’s imports aggregated 10.000 tons—were-excluded from the Canadian market. At present- New Zealand, buys from Canada three to tour times in value what Canada buys from her. Her purchases are mainly manufactured woods, a great proportion of which are American-made automobiles, on which 25 per cent, of Canadian labour and fabrication earns the preferential tariff in entering New Zealand. Mr. Bennett may remember the consternation caused in Canada in 1924 when Mr. Bruce and the late Mr. Massey agreed to raise this proportion from 25 to 50 per cent, to give British-made motor-cars an opportunity on the Australian and New Zealand market equal to. that enjoyed by American cars, finished off by Canadian labour. The volume of Canadian protest, headed by Mr. Mackenzie King, was so great that the two Premiers decided that their contemplated action might ruin the Canadian -auto industry, which depends largely on. its sea-borne trade. They withdrew the proposal. If Canada bans New Zealand butter she must expect the younger Dominion, whose people vastly prefer British to American products, to raise the British preferential tariff on motor-cars, for instance, to 75 per cent., which would hit Canada harder than any fiscal action she might take against New Zealand. i MR. BENNETT'S MODERN UTOPIA. Apparently Mr. Bennett .would set up a modern Utopia, selling American cars to Australia and New Zealand by the artificial aid of the British preferential tariff, and expecting them to buy nothing in return. If he had hii. way the Aorangi and Niagara would wallow out of Canadian ports choked with Canadian products and come rolling back north in ballast. The only thing on his free list would be kangaroos, with a proviso that the contents of their pouches were subject to strict examination on arrival. Mr. Bennett in opposition and Mr. Bennett in the Government are two different persons. However, none of his friends think he would seriously disturb the reciprocity treaty, as far as New. Zealand is concerned. The dairy farmers of Western Canada, whom he hopes to -placate, are not misled. Instead of building on the Conservative leader’s promises they are following the more practical advice of their own leaders and perfecting the producing and marketing machinery of their industry. It was thus that New Zealand grew mighty as an exporter of dairy products; so, too, Canadian farmers may foster a greater desire to increase and improve their product in the off season while the New Zealand commodity is coming in, There would appear, however, to be a long way to go yet.