VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Taranaki Daily News, 29 January 1934, Page 9

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

VIEWS ON CURRENT TOPICS RECIPROCITY IN TRADING. DOMINION’S POSITION ANALYSED. (To the Editor.) Sir,—New Zealand is often blamed for not obtaining a larger proportion Of her imports from Great Britain. The common—and very misleading—statement of the position is that our exports to Britain (excluding specie) amounted, in 1932 to £31,344,000, while our imports front Britain amounted to only £11,442,000. To appreciate the true position W6 must take into account also the following facts:— (1) Included in out exports to Britain ate considerable quantities of produce which ate shipped to London merely as a convenient depot for subsequent re-Shipment to the Continent or to America. In 1931 (the last year for which figures are available) the amount Was £4,119,000. Assuming the same figure for 1932, this reduces out exports to Britain herself to £27,225,000. (See Year Book, page 212.) (2) In the official figures quoted, exports are. given in New Zealand currency and imports in sterling. To snake a comparison we must express both In terms of the same currency (sterling). This gives us for 1932: Exports to Britain, £24,502,000; imports from Britain, £11,442,000. (3) We have also to pay in LonflOn the interest, etc., on Government and local body debt amounting to £8,250,000. (See Year Book, page 202.) (4) Another item consists of outward shipping freights, insurance and interest and dividends on overseas capital invested in the Dominion, together with a number of minor payments, but subject to certain offsets. (See Year Book, page 203.) The net payments to Britain under these heads may be estimated at £3,500,000. (5) Our “reciprocal trade” account with Britain therefore stands at something like this (all in sterling): Exports to Britain herself, £24,902,000; imports, £11,442,000; interest, £8,250,000; freights, etc., £3,500,000; total, £23,192,000. (6) In 1932 our imports from foreign countries amounted to £6,486,000. But our exports to foreign countries were £2,508,000 direct, plus £4,119,000 shipped via Great Britain, making a total of £6,627,000 (N.Z.) or £5,965,0Q0 sterling. (7) NeW Zealand manufacturers desire to see an increase in the proportion of our necessary imports obtained from Great Britain. But nothing Is to be. gained, and much may be lost, by making our existing reciprocal trade appear less than it really is. The foregoing figures (paragraph 5) show that we are already doing very well—l am, etc., A. E. MANDER, General Secretary N.Z. Manufacturers’ Federation. CLOSING OF MAIN ROAD. / (To the Editor.) - Sir,— Having occasion the other day to go from the southern end of the .province to Waitara and New Plymouth, I visited Waitara first, thus missing the . Junction Road between New Plymouth and Inglewood, upon which section I entered from the New Plymouth end later in the afternoon. At Mangorei' I found the road blocked and a sign reading, “Deviation to Inglewood.” So like a good motorist I did what I find most others do not—heeded the sign, tume'd down the Mangorei Road—and found myself back at Fltzroy, With just as far to go and a lot of time wasted. Would it not be just as easy for the county courfcil to place sign boards at Eiiot Street and Tarahua Road comers telling motorists to go via Lepperton—or else cut out the deviation altogether, as those who go straight through apparently get through? • As for the work on the roads, why is it necessary to tear up all that length of road ? Would not the new and cheaper method of armour-coating improve the surface and increase the width, as has been done with success at Egmont Village ? It may be that it is highways board and not county money that is being expended, and as long as the immediate farmer-ratepayers do not have to foot the bill it does not matter*—l am, etc., - ‘ a TRAVELLER, Hawera, January 26. TARIFF REVISION. • Sir,—ln your leading article of January 22 you suggested that there had been undue delay on New Zealand’s part in undertaking our tariff inquiry required by the Ottawa agreement. Has the News forgotten the public statement made by the Minister of Customs (Mr. J. G. Coates) on March 28, 1933? Mr. Coates was reported as follows: “It is certainly not true' that neither manufacturers nor any other local interests have delayed the commencement of the inquiry. On the contrary, the only request for delay has been from the Home Government. They have expressly asked us to postpone the inquiry for some months, and even now we feel that it will be necessary to make a start in advance of the date suggested by the British Government.”—l am, etc., A. E. MANDER, General Secretary, N.Z. Manufacturers’ Federation. (In the article referred to by Mr. Mander-the Daily News admitted that to some extent the delay in the institution of the tariff inquiry was caused by representations on behalf of Dominion representatives of British firms who desired' to bring evidence before the commission. Allowing for this, however, it was contended that the setting up of the commission was still a very leisurely proceeding—Ed., News.)