TRADE BETWEEN PACIFIC ISLANDS & N.Z. ADVOCATED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 58, 28 February 1949, Page 5

TRADE BETWEEN PACIFIC ISLANDS & N.Z. ADVOCATED

The possibility of trade between New Zealand and the Pacific Islands that are controlled by the Dominion, being commenced and established was advocated by Mr J. Harvey, Judge of the Maori Land Court, Rotorua, in a talk to the Whakatane Rotary Club on Tuesday night.

There was no doubt that if such a trade were established it would be of great benefit to both New Zealand and the Islands, Judge Harvey said. Goods that are now very scarce in this country and expensive, such as good citrus fruit, kapok and very high grade coffee and cotton, could be produced in the New Zealand controlled islands and brought to this country at a very low price. New Zealand controls islands in the Pacific from the Antarctic to the Equator and it should be possible to grow nearly all this country needs, with the variety of climates available, he said. “Six months ago I revisited Rarotanga, in the Cook Islands group, and was pleased to find that trade, which had been dormant for about 50 years, was now vbeing revived.” Judge Harvey showed samples of the various goods that could be grown in the Cook Islands and he said that a cool store was now being established at Rarotonga, this would be of immeasurable use in storing fruit. A trade in oranges, bananas, tomatoes and copra was now trying to be fostered. Should such a trade between New Zealand and these islands come about, a drop in the price of some of today’s more costly goods would be noticed, Judge Harvey concluded.