BRITAIN AND SOUTH AMERICA.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 February 1931, Page 6

BRITAIN AND SOUTH AMERICA.

The news that the British firm of financiers, Rothschild and Co., has arranged a loan for th? Republic of Brazil of £6,500,000, and the visit of tlie Prince of Wales and. his brother to Latin America, are indications of the large British interests in South Anierica. A recent computation assessed these at no less than £300,000,000, and with so much capital at stake, it is no wonder that considerable interest is taken in the progress of the various States. Politically South America has been in a state of unrest that has in the overthrow of Governments in Brazil and Argentina, two of the most important countries in the itinerary of the British Princes. To some extent there is rivalry between the United States and Great Britain for South American trade and influence. Capital from the United States has been made freely available for enterprises in Peru, Brazil and Argentina, though it is said that New York is of opinion ttiqit London retains a greater sphere of influence than is warranted when tlie investinents of the two great powers are considered. An effort t<? stimulate trade with the United States was made a year or two ago when the present President, 'Mr. Hoover, paid a quasi-jxolitical and commercial visit to South America. The result of his mission is said to have disappointed the United States, possibly because its high tariff makes reciprocal trading almost impossible. With Great Britain the opposite trade position obtains, the raw materials and food supplies of South America lindiiig their best market in the United Kingdom. The display of British nianufactiire?, to open which is the pritiiary purpose of the Princes’ visit, is an effort to stimulate the sale of manufactured goods to Argentina, Brazil and other countries in which British capital is invested. No doubt diplomatic and commercial representations conveyed by ambassadors of such high standing will be given full consideration by South American authorities, and there seems reason to hope they may lead to an increase in British