Mr. Bowden's Impressions Of Austraiia

Chronicle (Levin), 19 April 1949, Page 5

Mr. Bowden's Impressions Of Austraiia

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AUCKLAND,- AprU 4».v "What struck uS m'ost in Au8t|q.f}^ ■ was the enormous range of good^f-; in shops and tbe general air oi pfdspef ity," said Mr. C. M. Bowden, oh his return in thfe Mo;n0wai this morri ing. For a month he toured'.-Aust;raiife,' with the Leader of the National' Party,Mr. S. G. Holland, who iSjpturning^jn , fortnight. •' The cities, said Mr. Bowden, -'"werV ablaze at night with window displays and coloured electric signs in tne streets. Import eojRroTiWas iiriposfeck only on goods re'qiifl'ffig dpllars afid a result the shops displayed goods frdm all over the wofld. Farming incomes were at fiigh levels becSuse of-the bountiful season afid record prices for wool, wheat and beef. Thfer'e had also been a p'rofitfiblfe* maf; kfet fdr subsidiary linfes Such as drifed axid canned fruits and wirtes. A.sked" about the exchange rate bfetweeh Australian mo'iiey afid sterling, Mr. Bowden said nobody seemed io favour an atteration,- fearing the rfeadjustment of ineomes which would bfe involved. Thfe present discotifit was 6f particular advantage to exporters of manufactured goods and, of cour^fc", primary producers wanted it to cofitinue. The Prime Minister, Mr.- Chiflfey, had stated that only in the event Of 8 depreciation of the sterling pound ih relation to dollars, woiiid feonsideratiof. be given to an altferation in the. Aua-> tralian pound iD relation tb- Bterling. The restoration of the New Zealand pound to parity with sterling and, its consequent premium over the Australian pound, had ruined New Zealand 's export trade to Australia, Mr. Bowden said. Substantial quantities of soft timber, fish and seeds were being seiit from New Zealand and although Aus tralia wanted these goods, importerV were not prepared to pay the 25 pe'r eent exchange and orders were being i cancelled.