“N.Z. MUST PROTECT ITS EXPORT TRADE”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31120, 25 July 1966, Page 8

“N.Z. MUST PROTECT ITS EXPORT TRADE”

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 24. The Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall) told the National Party conference yesterday that in the highly competitive world of international trade nobody would look after New Zealand but itself.

“We must be vigilant to protect our interests and active to promote our trade,” he said.

Commenting on the expansion and diversification of New Zealand’s trade, Mr Marshall described the results of the recent trade negotiations with the British Government. “There is no substitute for the British market for butter, cheese and lamb—but there are small and growing markets in Japan, South Africa, South-east Asia, the West Indies and North America for the increasing volume of our production,” he said. Referring to Britain’s intention to join the Common Mar-

ket within the next few years, Mr Marshall said: “The New Zealand Government will have to be alert to every move and active to protect and preserve the continuity of our tradi-

tional trade with Britain, in an enlarged European Economic Community. Looking at the increased volume of production in New Zealand, Mr Marshall said that dairy farmers set a record for butterfat production in the last season—and this year there was already an increase over last season. Meat production was a little less than last year because stock was held back—but as a result, New Zealand now had about five million more sheep than a year ago. “This is likely to mean

about three million more lambs, th i next season,” he said. Wool p eduction increased during tfri last season to a record of nearly 700 million lb.

i Factory output exceeded a ■ record £1 million last year, said Mr Marshall. I The great bulk of New Zea- ’ land’s primary production and : a small but 'ncreasing amount ■of its manufactured goods i were exported. “The National Government i has had a clear appreciation of the need to export more ; goods to more markets,” said ! Mr Marshall. > “For the last five years the I Government has mounted and > promoted an export drive with steadily increasing momeni turn and success,” he said.