TRADE AGREEMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 24 March 1932, Page 18

TRADE AGREEMENT

THE CANADIAN TREATY. DELAY IN RATIFICATION. There is considerable dissatisfaction among the members of the commercial community of Auckland interested in trade with Canada at the delay on the part of the New Zealand and Canadian Governments in ratifying the trade agreement arrived at by Mr. H. H. Stevens,. Canadian Minister of Trade and Commerce, and the Hon. W. Downie Stewart, New Zealand Minister of . Customs, at Honolulu early in January, Over a week' ago, says the New Zealand Herald, it was officially reported from Ottawa that there was a possibility of the Canadian Government delaying the completion of the agreement until°after the Empire Economic Conference at Ottawa in July. Mr. Downie Stewart had/previously stated that he had been ready for some time to submit the agreement to Parliament, but there had been some delay at the Canadian end owing possibly to pressing political problems taking precedence. On Thursday evening a cablegram was sent to Mr. Stevens on behalf of the Canadian-British Traders’ Association of New Zealand, pointing out the great distress the delay in ratification was causing New Zealand agents for and importers of Canadian products and urging ratification before the New Zealand Parliament went into the Easter recess of ten days. '

A reply was received in Auckland on Friday as follows: “Canadian Prime Minister cabled New Zealand Prime Minister March 11. Canada now awaiting answer.”

It was stated on behalf of the association on Friday that it was sincerely hoped that the cablegram received by the New Zealand Government had finalised the matter and that both Governments would lose no time in ratifying the agreement and making it effective, thus relieving the present severe hardships. It was suggested that the delay on the part of the Canadian Government might have been occasioned by the uncertainty of the exchange position in

New Zealard and that the cablegram of March 11 had been forwarded when it was known that the rate was not to v > incre .sed.

Goods specially manufactured for the New Zealand trade, which have been

paid for, have been stored in bond in Canada awaiting shipment to New Zealand for periods of up to eight months nd this delay is causing serious loss to importers. Similar Canadian goods have been held in etore in Auckland for upward- of nine months, according to merchants, wh say that under the present tariff they could not afford to pay the duty and sell the- goods without making a loss. Unfortunately quantitiee of these goods are of a

seasonal character and have already missed the season for which they were imported. Local merchants are anxious to place orders for goods required for coming seasons and unless the position is soon cleared up their trade will be further hampered. 1 Tho New Zealand Government has been communicated with since the receipt by the Prime Minister of the Canadian Government’s cablegram, but so far no further information has been furnished.