EXPORT MARKETS

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19451, 15 December 1934, Page 9

EXPORT MARKETS

KEEN SEARCH URGED. TRADE WITH AMERICA. MR J. S. JESSEP’S VIEWS. (Speoial to Times.) NAPIER, Friday. An appeal for Immediate and vigorous action to open up trade relations with the United States was made last evening hy Mr J. S. Jessep, vicepresident of the New Zealand Sheep Owners’ Federation, speaking at a meeting of the Hawke's Bay farmers. Mr Jessep recalled an earlier appeal he had made l&st August with the object of arousing interest in the possibilities of a meat export trade with America, and stressed the urgency of action at the present time. “On August il last,” said Mr Jessep, “I pointed out to sheep owners at Gisborne the real and imminent nature of the disaster which threatened New Zealand producers through the restriction of our English market, and the outstanding Importance of negotiating treaties to open new markets. Four months have passed, during the greater part of which Parliament was in session, and dealing for the most part with matters which, while no doubt of some domestic importance, could huve relatively trifling effect on the real prosperity of the Dominion. Proposals were formulated to ‘further investigate’ _ trade channels overseas, but no negotiations of importance have actually been opened up with foreign countries. “During this prooess of preparing to do something an event of outstanding importance to New Zealand occurred In Amerioa. Two months ago the United States Secretary for the State announced in unequivocal language the necessity of America's retreat from trade nationalism. "The greatest potential additional consuming market in the world for New Zealand’s primary produce is in America. These two facts —the existence of that great market and the United States’ plain invitation to trade —together constitute a factor of the most profound, real and direct significance to New Zealand. But they appear to have been completely overlooked. There is no evidence that the Government has grasped the opportunity knocking so loudly at New Zealand’s door. Even the press, which is usually more acute than Governments in its perception of such things, does not appear to have expressed ajiy great interest in Hie potentialities Of the United States position. No Definite Action. “Everyone appears to have got bushed in a wilderness of words and hypothesis on the question, of overhauling the dairy industry. But where is the point of setting up a Vast machinery to spruce up Hie dairy industry and increase the quantity and quality of Its output when all the time the walls of its market are slowly but inexorably closing in on it? That would be a sound and business-like proceeding if at the same time proportionate attention were given to the question of where we are going to sell the bigger and better products of our farms. B.ut no definite action is being taken to that effect. “Other Dominions, on the other hand, have not been so slow to accept America’s invitation and to see generally .to it that there is somewhere to sell their produce now that the British market is no longer an unrestricted one. During the past four months a trade treaty lias been announced between Canada and France. A trade treaty has been announced between Australia and Belgium. There are indications that a trade arrangement has been made between South Africa and Germany in connection with wool, and oiie is foreshadowed between Australia and Germany. The Argentine have, ever since the first intimation hy Great Britain that its imports were likely to be restricted, been negotiating with America. Interest for New Zealand. “And what has New Zealand, which is more completely than any of them dependent on an unrestricted market, done to help itself out of its dilemma? It has been very busily engaged setting up machinery for still greater production. Certainly we occasionally look up from our preoccupation with this pastime to prattle about ‘setting up a board to explore overseas markets.’ There is no need to ‘explore” for a market. The market is there. Now, at once, to-day, America could absorb all the butter, cheese and meat we could send her. The only

reason why she does not is that there is a tariff barrier against us. "Meat producers in the Dominion have a vital interest in discovering the reason for the Government's inaction, and in moving it to action. ‘With the continual doubt that now exists as to the possibility of disposing of their produce, the pastoral industry is being affected at its very root. The security of the industry is threatened. How can this be otherwise when we continue to depend on a market that is not fully open to us? A Foretaste of Restriction. “As I pointed out in August, the North Island had a bitter foretaste of what market restrictions- mean with respect to beef, boneless beef, and bobby calves. I regret to note that Mr Acland is reported to have said at Belfast that these restrictions were forced upon New Zealand. I am afraid that he and the Meat Board know only too well with whom the responsibility rests that these restrictions were ever put into force in connection with beef products. “Mr Acland is also reported to have repeated this platitude that Britain is our best customer, etc., and the British were the people New Zealand would have to study. This apparently means that, being clearly told by Britain that she regrets she cannot take ail our produce, we in New Zealand are to calmly see our great, pastoral industry not only cease to expand, but commence to decay. We are to rest on the childish assumption that New Zealand, if she reduces tariffs and makes reciprocal treaties with other countries for that proportion of her produce which Britain clearly indicates she cannot lake, will antagonise Great Britain.. Or, to put it another way, if by arranging new markets we can retain our solvency and so continue to pay our debts to Great Britain, the British people will look upon it.as an unfriendly act. Urgent Action Necessary. “It looks as if, by the time New Zealand wakes up to the dire necessity of finding alternative outlets, we shall find that prior treaties made by our more enterprising competitors have closed the door to New Zealand. The recent experience of Mr Coates and Mr Masters in Australia should arouse attention to the that Australia is, and must always remain, one of our main competitors. Why, therefore, should we give preference to Australian manufactures when by importing the same from other countries we could find an outlet for some of our produce? “It may interest North Island producers to know that whereas New Zealand boneless beef and bobby calves were for a time totally shut out, and then seriously restricted on the English market, Australia, because she had made a more liberal estimate of her probable shipments of meat, look advantage of the position and for the first time in history packed hobby calves, and incidentally shipped at better prices than previously- to well-established .Hew iZeatan'd. markets in Great Britain. The same applied to boneless beef. “Surely it is not too much to hope, no\v that the menace of restricted markets is taking definite shape .in London, that the Government will realise the vital and urgent necessity of negotiating to facilitate the entry of our produce into other markets.; A Ministerial Task. “The matter is of sufficient importance to engage fully the energies of a Minister of the Crown, and for him to be relieved for 12 months of all other duties. As indicated by the activity of other Dominions, who realise what restricted trade will mean, potential markets exist in many countries. “Political reasons have forced English politicians to protect British farming interests. Are we to wait until such necessity forces England to shut the door closer on Dominion and foreign farmers? I repeat, and'wish to emphasise with all the force.l may, that we .will have a hitter awakening when we realise that while our numerous boards have ibeen advocating that we should hang like crying children on the skirts of England, our competitors have completed trade treaties Which preclude our entry into markets which might have been available to New Zealand producers.”