The Waimate Advertiser. (Established 1898). Published every evening since 1914 WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2, 1925. SPIRIT THAT, KILLS BRITISH TRADE.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 2 December 1925, Page 4

The Waimate Advertiser. (Established 1898). Published every evening since 1914 WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2, 1925. SPIRIT THAT, KILLS BRITISH TRADE.

Astonishing disclosures ol the contemptuous way British firms reject handsome orders from abroad have reached the Anglo-South American Association, recently formed to promote British trade in Latin-America. Among the concrete instances which have reached the association from South American business hnen in London are some given by Mr Juan Paris, of Maracaibo, Venezuela, one of the wealthiest and best-known importers in the north of the Latin-American continent, who, in his own phrase, sells “everything from flypapers* to motorcars.” Mr Paris has been on a visit to London, wishing and intending to place large orders in this country. “My visit has been typical of my previous visits,” he said to the secretary of the Anglo-South American Association. “I have not spent half I intended to. It seems to me that certain British firms do their best to make us keep our money in our pockets, or, better still, to take it elsewhere. “I import hundreds of thousands of tins of sardines into Venezuela each year. I used to take these from two British firms, but when I said I wanted them in half-sizes, the answer came from one of the firms that it could not be done; I have had to transfer that order elsewhere. “It was the same with biscuits. The biscuits for Venezuela, which has a hot climate, have to be packed in special tins. Nowhere in England could I get, or would they gfce me, these tins. France now has sfihat order. Six months ago Krupp’s Afee. deliberately given an order worth -thousands of pounds because the British firm which was approached with the order wanted to supply the goods - miles of piping and machinery for the La Paz oilfields — on specifications which they had supplied before; not what was now asked for. Since then the oil belt has been greatly exploited and a further large contract for machinery is going to Krupp’s. “Again, some looms were lately required by a firm in Maracaibo. Two British firms who were asked to quote stated that they could only supply looms of a certain width, not the width that was wanted for native workers. “I myself would rather spend money with British merchants than any one, and I make a point of employing as many Englishmen in my office at Maracaibo as I can, and so does every other merchant in Venezuela, which is the richest of the northern Latin-American Republics. We want to send money to England, because Venezuela has, for its size, more British capital than any other South American country. But you wont let us. “With its vastly increasing oil industry our business is increasing 50 per cent, each year, but no trading ship with the British flag ever comes into Maracaibo, except the oil tankers, though United States, German, Norwegian, and Dutch steamers are there in plenty.” South’ Americans in London point out that English firms frequently send agents to South America, knowing no Spanish or Portuguese.

they even distribute their advertisements printed in English. British trade with South America has steadily declined since 1914, and the loss has been estimated at £1,000,000 a week. Some of the most prominent business men in the country are cooperating with the Anglo-South American Association in the effort to recapture the lost trade. Sir Robert Hadfield, Sir Trevor Dawson, Sir Arthur Stanley, and Sir Godfrey Baring are among the vice-presidents of the association.