TRADE WITH BRITAIN

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1930, Page 19

TRADE WITH BRITAIN

DOMINION'S SURE MARKET. BETTER TIMES BREDJCTED. “Some Aspects of Empire Trade” was the title of an address given by the British Commissioner in New Zealand, Mr. L. A. Paish, at a luncheon of the Auckland Creditmen’s Club last week. Mr. Paish defended British manufacturers against much of the criticism commonly levelled at them and made a strong appeal for a larger consumption of British goods. He expressed a belief that with the help of Empire countries Britain would shortly begin to climb out of her present depression. , It seemed to be characteristic of Englishmen and New Zealanders alike to discredit at every opportunity their own country’s efforts, said Mr. Paish. Whenever, in a. report, he had mentioned the misdemeanours of British manufacturers he had found a ready Press in Britain, but his appreciative remarks did not receive anything like the same, attention. It was just the same in New Zealand. Englishmen were supposed net to know how to sell goods. They were quite aware of what was said and took criticism seriously. At present a strong committee was sitting in an attempt to find where British salesmanship • fell short and what steps were necessary to improve it. In an interim report this committee had stated that the salesmanship of many firms was upon the very highest plane, but many others had no idea of giving service to their customers. In the Press of both Britain and New Zealand : the' faults mentioned by the committee had been listed, but its praise had been ignored. This did not seem to him a fair deal.

Sir Edward Crowe, head of the Department of’ Overseas Trade, in a recent speech to an advertising convention, had appealed for less gloomy talk at a time when British trade was about to , rise from its depression. “Do not jump on the backs of those who are climbing the hill and press them down,” he had urged. Britain's favourable trade balances of £151.000,000 for the year 1929 and £137,0000,00 for the year ended March 31 last were for a’country that was supposed to be played oyt. It was dangerous to prophesy, but his personal belief was that the bottom of the slump had been about reached, and that trade would soon improve. The British bank rate, which was not quite the same thing as the New Zealand bank rate, was at present 3 per cent., which meant that money could be borrowed cheaply enough to encourage enterprise. Considering that New Zealand last year had an adverse trade balance of £1,700,000, the position in Britain was not so bad after all. Export trade was gtill 15 per cent, below the 1913 figure, but it had increased 10 per cent, in the past five years, including the output of the so-called depressed industries. Everyone in Britain .was talking.about Empire trade, which had become a ratheir political question, upon which a.Government official could not talk freely; but there were facts of some interest that he might give. Britain’s imports from Empire countries in 1913 amounted <-io 24.87 per cent, of the whole, and in 1926 to 26.12 per cent. Her exports to the rest of the Empire showed a greater increase, from 37.28 to 41 per cent. Neither imports nor exports represented half the total trade, but both were increasing up to 1920. In the past three years, to 1929, however, imports fell from 26.89 to 26.12 per cent, and exports from 42.56 to 41 per cent. His hope and aim was to reverse this, tendency so far as New Zealand was concerned.

Of tho - Dominion’s , exports 73.7 per cent, went to Britain, anil British gbods made up 46.2 per cent, of the imports. “Your trade with Britain is more favourable than that between probably , any two countries in tho world,” remarked Mr. Paish. “With our next three competitors, the United States, Canada and Australia, you have unfavourable trade balances. I should like to see some of this trade transferred to the. Old CoiinVy-. . “Britain provides your one sure pm 1 ’ ket. She takes 76 per" cent, of your, butter,’ 99 per cent, of your cheese and 70 per cent, of your wool. .She can take still more, hud you need never, fear that a tariff of any kind will be imposed on your produce.” (Applause.); Regarding the export of British manufactured goods, Mr. Paish said a complaint was often made, that manufacturers would hot adapt their patterns to consumers’ needs.. Britain did a worldwide trade, and it was a fact that no manufacturing country in the world went so far in the making of special patterns for special markets. A recent investigation had shown that the prae-, tice had been carried too far and .was pushing up costs of production. Efforts, were now being made to abolish unpecessary patterns. One leading competitor, the United States, had gone further than, any other, country in standardising its products. It was quite certain that importers who could riot get special patterns in Britain would be unable to get them else-: where. Mr. Paish specially appealed to New Zealand exporters to uphold British; trade'' “Don’t send us butter. wrapped■ in vegetable parchment from Belgium, he said. “You imported £28,000 worth of it last year. We can beat the world in that field in quality and price. Don’t send us your cheese wrapped in American cloth, of which you imported £12.000 worth. Lancashire is the home of cotton piece goods, and can beat the world. Twenty-three per cent, of your meat wraps come from Japan. Is that playing the game?”