Trade With China Advocated

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31111, 14 July 1966, Page 3

Trade With China Advocated

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 13. A New Zealand trade post should be established in China, Mr W. W. Freer (Opp., Mount Albert) said in Parliament today.

China was a market relatively untapped and ignored by New Zealand, he said. But it was the largest single market in the world.

“It is one I believe we should get into.” he said. Earlier, Mr H. V. Donald (Govt., Wairarapa) had introduced a notice of motion endorsing the actions of the Government, producer boards, the Trade Promotion Council, the Manufacturers’ Federation and other traders and producers in the export drive. “I don’t think it will be very long before we have to establish a trade post in Red China.’’ Mr Donald said.

Mr Freer said: “I hope this is the case—but I wonder if this had been cleared by his own party.” Mr Donald said that in the last 10 years New Zealand's exports to countries other than Britain had increased from 34 per cent to 52 per cent.

He said New Zealand was discovering growing markets in Asia. Mr Freer said that in the last 12 months the volume of exports had decreased from

However, the agreement put New Zealand manufacturers and exporters at a disadvantage in some fields, he said. “The latest figures show that the imbalance of trade between New Zealand and Australia is not lessening in our favour,” he said. Mr D. J. Carter (Govt., Raglan) gave export figures under the Labour Government of 1960 and the present GovI eminent. I Japan in 1960 took £B.B million in exports from New Zealand; in 1965 the figure was £18.6 million. Greece took £3.846 in 1960 and £l.B million in 1965; Persia, £6286 in 1960 and £lOO,OOO in 1965; Cyprus £9OOO in 1960 and £626,000 in 1965.

the index figure of 1153 to 1138. “Although it is true there ; has been an increase in some fields, not enough is being done,’’ he said. “The Government must know that time and time again it has sent trade commissioners overseas and they return with glowing tales of contacts they have made only to find that when they pro- ■ vide a commodity later to the , market they are unable to I provide a continuity of sup- : ply” 1 Tahiti was an example, Mr . Freer said. Mr Freer said the Labour I Party agreed with the principle of the limited free trade ' agreement with Australia. |!