The Wanganui Chronicle. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA.” MONDAY, JUNE 30, 1924. “export Opportunities-

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19049, 30 June 1924, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA.” MONDAY, JUNE 30, 1924. “export Opportunities -

I Statements recently made by Sir John ,Willison and Mr. Henry Cohen, two ’prominent Australians, suggest that these oversea dominions arc not fully Igrasping opportunities for wideniug the 'export trade of some of their most imiportant primary and secondary productions. Mr. Cohen’s published remarks I refer more particularly to the Oriental j trade, and are confirmed by several other Australians who, during the last few years, have closely studied the question. Just two years ago, for instance, the report of the Western Australian Trade Delegation on the Commonwealth’s commercial scope in the East showed that trade possibilities there were almost unlimited. After visiting several Pacific ports, and personally investigating Oriental tendencies, the members of that delegation declared that Australia was admirably placed to cater for the daily needs of the numerous and growing centres of the populous East. And if Australia, it follows that New Zealand also is no less advantageously placed. In fact, Jit is now a commonplace of world commerce that the hurry of exporting nations to trade there is making Hong- I Kong one of the greatest shipping 1 ports on the globe. Instead of partici- | pating duly in that Oriental trade re- I

vival we are letting a lot of its natural benefits go to Germany and to 'Japan. Japan actually headed the list of vessels trading with Hongkong last year. Most of the great nations ' of Europe and America are increasing their mercantile communications with China, Japan, and the East Indies, and we cannot afford to lag behind in the race. China, with its extending port works and coastal railways, needs hardwood such as Australia can well supply, and, as Mr. Cohen points out, the East is daily becoming westernised so far as its demand for meat and fruit is concerned, and it is in these and other primary commodities that New Zealand’s opportunity lies. America for some time past has been transferring mercantile fleets from the Atlantic to 'the Pacific, evidently in anticipation of picking up more of the lucrative chances occurring in the Orient. Such shrewd enterprise should spur these British dominions to prospect to the full their own trade opportunities towards the north-cast.