Countries Clamour For N.Z. Goods

Chronicle (Levin), 14 December 1949, Page 7

Countries Clamour For N.Z. Goods

AUCKLAND, Dec. 13. Dozens of countries in Africa, the Orient, Europe and the Western Hemisphere, are anxious to buy New Zealand produce. An average of about 20 inquiries a month has been receiVed since the close of the war by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce but the Dominion's export licensing system and bulk sale of butter' and cheese to' the United Kingdom, have greatly limited opportunities fdr trade expansion. Inquiries received by the chamber in November are typical of the trading offers that have ccme reguiarly to Auckland over the past three years. Dairy produce was sought by lmporters in the Behfian Congo, British Guiana, British West Ceylon, Kenya, Persian Gulf, F5ngapore and Syria. The little colony of Mauritius was interested in soap and tinned and dried milk. Greece sought easeJp and plastics and Tanganyika was in the market for clothing goods. Syria was also seeking biscuits, meats and sugar. Several Pakis.tan firms wanted tinned foodstuffs, machinery, ammunition, electrical goods, hardware, paints, varnishes, scientific instruments and plastics, Swederi's interest was animal hair. There wefe two American offers for general produce, toheroas and whitebait and a Canadian correspondent asked about the prospfects of purchasing New Zealand birds for aviary collections. i Japan's particular needs from New Zealand last month were coal, salt, gypsum, casein, oils and lumber. In return at least five of her merchants were selling machinery, plywoods, hardware, glassware, musical instruments, fishing nets, tyres and tubes, rubber footwear, oak, textiles, metals, toys, docks, watches and tableware. The secretary' of the chamber, Dr. S. P. Neale, said today that the inquiries now reguiarly received greatly exceeded prewar numbers. In some cases New Zealand exporters had been'able to supply the needs but many of the inquiries, which particularly concerhed dairy pro-