VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Taranaki Daily News, 6 August 1934, Page 7

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

VIEWS ON CURRENT TOPICS

NEW ZEALAND’S EXTERNAL TRADE.

“THOROUGHLY NEGLECTED.”

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Official statistics, just released for 1933, disclose that out of 38 different countries we are trading with (having primitive and rough dealings only in goods and no invisible imports or exports), not less than 29 show an appal-; ling adverse balance of ■ over £8.3 millions, the remaining nine compensating us with paltry £0.79 million in or favour. When analysed at a glance the. figures indicate that the Far East is responsible for some 43 per cent, of - our losS in trade, giving' us an adverse "balance of some £2.5 millions, while the rest . (23 countries) show some £5.8 millions of defiicit. The position may be judged from the following summary, based on official., data, of the excess of New Zealand imports over exports (net loss): r , ‘ With the Far East. v ' ’ ■ , British Empire. £ - Ceylon 551,615 ! India - 542,588 > Malaya 40,251 Foreign. £ China - 18,221 Japan 322,215 East Indies 992,727 < With Other Countries. British Empire. £ South Africa 36,219 Canada 704,321 : Australia 1,950,042 Seychelles 41,162 Fiji 18,661. Gilbert Islands 83,995 Nauru Island 171,552 ; Foreign. * £ U.S.A 1,990,342 U.S.S.R 134,239 . . \ Sweden 215,468 Switzerland 108,767 ; . , Germany 96,555 j Czecho-Slovakia .!.... 62,903 Other countries 309,357 \ These figures demonstrate, without doubt, that the New Zealand external trade is neglected so thoroughly that instead of relying to-day upon world markets (in face of our best and sole customer, Britain, refusing to take the whole of our output). we jnust create trade, find new buyers and hastily reconstruct the entire range of our overseas transactions. Imports from Empire and foreign countries are requiring cash which we derive from Britain alone. Yet we do not trouble ourselves to arrange to pay for them in goods. The Empire countries have claimed £6.44 millions for their goods, and foreign countries £6.82 millions, a total of over £13.2 (£13,264,473 x in 1933). Not even half of this amount was paid in New Zealand products, of which we have a super-abundance. Only £5.7 millions were returned by our exports offered in a haphazard way in few Empire- and foreign markets, leaving us with a net loss of over £7.5 millions (£7,533,031 in 1933) out of pocket. To-day this is a catastrophe. Britain has credited us with £35.5 millions for all. our produce shipped there. Out of this amount which is our sole and only revenue in the world, over £13.2 millions were paid back for British manufactures and goods, some £ll.O millions were due for interest, debts charges, etc., and £7.5 millions. were spent to cover our adverse balance of trade, .with- countries other than Britain, leaving us with, say, £3.8 millions to meet everything: all the invisible imports from Britain (such as freights, for instance, £4 millions, marketing expenses for dairy products alone £2 millions, etc.), all interests on mortgages, all costs of production, etc. How does it happen that nobody has been as yet thoroughly aalrmed with such a state of “trading,” and everybody has been content to let New Zealand drift and live on capital, is beyond my understanding. The obvious thing to do is to cultivate intensely and without a moment’s t delay world markets with a view of (a) getting rid of the £7.5 millions drain in adverse trade; (b) placing the surplus of our produce and products in ports other than in Britain; (c) obtaining foreign currency and commercial credits’ through organised ■ interchange of goods and services. Let us set up a foreign trade office, send, if necessary, 29 able accredited agents to the 29 countries that are ruining us, and in six months’ time either withdraw them completely from countries that refuse to reciprocate or push their trading to the full extent in countries that agree. But do it quickly, cen- . trally and efficiently. When Britain was paying us £5B millions per year for a lesser volume of products, we could afford a lagging, unreasonable and amateurish trade with the rest of the world. Now we have quotas and abased prices at Home, and it is high time to sit up and take notice. —I am, etc., ALEXANDER S. TETZNER. Patumahoe, July 31. RUGBY SELECTORS’ TASK. (To the Editor.) Sir,—At the. present juncture Rugby football enthusiasts are seriously discuss-; ing the possibilities of their respective choice as to positions amongst the back division of the next representative team to represent Taranaki, and all followers of the code are looking .forward to a very strong team being chosen. At the present time the position of “full-baok” is no doubt the first problem to Be overcome, since Collins is unavailable, and the question may be asked: “Have we a man playing in that position in, club games who deserves the choice?” I, think our selectors will agree that the standard has not been set, and no doubt with this in mind they experimented on Thursday in the trial game. Unfortunately the experiment failed, and in consequence the selectors may not feel disposed to give it further consideration. In the three-quarter line there is abundance of material offering—Milliken, Hunter, Edwards, Sullivan, Ford and Kinsella—all well worthy of choice; yet this makes two men for each position, and who is to be chosen? As Sullivan must be the choice for centre, Edwards must lose his position as an inside back and may be placed on one wing. Thus two of those named are disposed, of, and we come to Kinsella, now showing improved form, and who, I suggest, may be tried at full-back, leaving the other wing position available for Hunter, Ford or Milliken. As K. Fookes and Boswell are certainties for their respective positions, the next consideration must be given to the first five-eighths’ position, and the choice lies between Brown (Tukapa) and Tjwnsend (Eltham). With Boswell at half-back Brown has every advantage, on the face of combination and form shown in recent games, for selection. Iff the forward division, it is not the question as to who should be picked but who should be left out, as there are so many good forwards to choose from and the choice may be Gargan, Fowler, Armstrong, Clarke, Wills, Young, Blakeney r O’Dowda, with Fastier and Richards reserves.—l am, etc., ORAL. New Plymouth, Aug. 4. [The Taranaki team was selected dur« ing the week-end, and is published where in this issue.—Ed.] ...