TRADE WITH JAPANESE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 197, 23 August 1935, Page 8

TRADE WITH JAPANESE

CHILLED BEEF AND WOOL DIRECT SHIPPING REQUIRED [ Per Press Association. ) WELLINGTON, Aug. 21. Informal conversations on the subject oi trade between New Zealand and Japan took place on Tuesday between the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the lion. R. Masters, and the commercial secretary to the Japanese Foreign Office, Mr. Yasuto Shudo, who is also economic adviser to the special goodwill mission from Japan at. present visiting the Dominion. Certain arrangements were discussed concerning a proposed direct shipping service between the Dominion and Japan, and the Minister received a promise that the Bureau of Commerce, which is attached to the Foreign Office at Tokio, will co-opcrate and assist.

Mr. Masters pointed out that New Zealand hoped for a greater share of the crossbred wool trade from Japan, whore Mr. Shudo said over 300,U00 bales of crossbred wool were being imported annually. Most of this class of wool, he said, was shipped from Victoria. Australia (over 200,000 bales), while South Africa and Argentina each ship ped between 20,000 and 30,000 bales

yearly, the New Zealand proportion be ing about 30,000 bales.

The Minister also referred to the possibility of Japan’s buying more.,.tallow in New Zealand, and to the chances of selling meat in Japan. At present, it was stated, Argentina was exporting many shiploads of chilled beef to Japan, and while New Zealand had commenced a small trade in this product with that country, the conversations indicated that there were good reasons to believe that New Zealand exports of beef and pork to Japan could be increased considerably. It was stated very high retail prices were being charged in Japan for beef, and that this was one of the main obstacles to large importations. The margin between the retail prices and those which must be regarded as fair export prices was a factor of encouragement for the development of this trade, which the Minister has directed his department to investigate.