AIDING EXPORTERS

Waipa Post, Volume 44, Issue 3180, 21 May 1932, Page 7

AIDING EXPORTERS

IMPORTERS COULD HELP. RECIPROCITY SCHEME. A scheme designed to bring about closer co-operation betwen importers and exporters for the encouragement of overseas trade was propounded to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce last Tuesday evening. It consists of a campaign to promote the sale of New Zealand goods among the employees of English companies which receive substantial orders from New Zealand. Outlining the scheme to the council of the chamber, Mr J. M. Fleming said he had no doubt that there was a spirit of antagonism, or at least a lack of co-operation, between New Zealand importers and exporters. The basic principle of the scheme was that one section should help the other, and.; in so doing, help itself and the country. He quoted a recent happening which had led to the scheme being formulated. A New Zealand firm had passed on to its English principals a substantial order from a certain power board. The management of the firm had considered that, as the order was so large, it would not be out of place to suf'o-est that the English company should reciprocate by asking its employees to purchase New Zealand-made goods. This suggestion had been forwavded to England, and, in reply, the firm had received a cablegram stating that 1000 of the company's emp'oyees had decided to purchase New Zealand butter. To a certain point the scheme had been adopted by the Empire Marketing Board, which made a practice of having posters advertising Empire goods put up in factories which received Empire orders, but it was proposed to take up the campaign where the board left off. A POWERFUL INFLUENCE. Importei-s, when placing orders, held in their hands powerful influence which could be used to support exporters. It was suggested that, among the employees in English factories, a coupon system might be arranged, these coupons to be accepted in exchange for New Zealand products. Some English firms employed 10,000 hands and more, so it was easy to visualise what the results would be if the scheme were to be organised on an effective scale. Mr Fleming asked the Chamber of Commerce as a body to examine the scheme. Already prominent men, including the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. A. Hamilton, had expressed their approval of it. Mr W. Simm asked how the coupons would be redeemed. Mr Fleming said they would be bought from the employers and redeemed by the banks by arrangement with the firms concerned. Mr M. G. C. McCaul, expressing his interest in the scheme, said the coupons might be issued to the employees and the amount deducted from the pay envelopes. Mr E. W. Ackland said he did not wish to be critical, but he was afraid the scheme might be a little lacking in proportion. After all. New Zealand was not the only customer of Britain's, nor even a very large one. RUSSIANS MIGHT DO LIKEWISE. He mentioned the case of one big machinery factory which, although it did a !ot of business in New Zealand, did a vastly greater business with Russia. Would not the Russians want coupons too? Mr Fleming said that such questions would have to be laced at the other end. After all New Zealand was not concerned with what Russia or any other country did. The object was to do everything possible on behalf of New Zea'and exports.

In reply to the president, Mr J. Peace Luke, Mr Fleming said he would be preared to act on a committee set up to investigate the scheme, were the appointment of such a committee to be decided upon. It was decided that members should consider the scheme in detail and that it would be brought up at the next meeting of the chamber.