TRADE OVER TASMAN

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1935, Page 7

TRADE OVER TASMAN

COMMONWEALTH ENDEAVOURS. DOMINION CONTACTS SOUGHT. Although questions of tariffs and Government trading policies are matters for the respective Ministries of New Zealand and Australia to settle, considerable benefit to both countries is anticipated from the appointment of Australian Trade Commissioners in New Zealand. The Chief Commissioner, Mr. Nesbitt, is at present on a visit to Australia. The Assistant Commissioner, Mr. J. Payne, has been' visiting Taranaki, chiefly in regard to the arrangement of an Australian “court” at the Hawera winter show. Valuable results have been achieved in the introduction of Australian goods, said Mr. Payne, and when the present negotiations in London, in regard to trading with Great Britain have been concluded it is fairly certain that a Ministerial delegation from the Commonwealth will visit New Zealand to endeavour to arrive at a further trade agreement suitable to’both countries. One of the most interesting exhibits at Hawera will be in connection with the Australian rice industry. The development of rice growing in irrigated areas in New South Wales has been almost astonishing. Eleven years ago the output was 200 bushels. Last year the total was 40,000 bushels, and of this a large quantity was absorbed by New Zealand. Australian rice is also exported to Great Britain and has topped the market there for quality and price. By the use of machinery, much of which has been designed by the Australian ricegrowers, the competition of cheap labour in tropical countries has been overcome, and the Australian grower has been enabled to make a fair living. . Dried fruits constitute another industry in which the Commonwealth is specialising, and a display of its various branches will be made at Hawera. Another display will be of salt , which is obtained -from large plants at Edithburg, South Australia, in which also considerable trade is done;.' within New Zealand, .

The work of. the Australian Trade Coiflinissioners. is to facilitate • trading with the Dominion by introducing goods affording traders information in regard to obtaining supplies and, in general, smoothing the way for buyers and sellers. So far the results achieved have been satisfactory and / Australia is. extending the Trade Commissioner service. There has been a Commissioner in Canada for some years, and appointments have been made recently to Dutch East Indies and to Japan and "China.