EFFECT ON NEW ZEALAND TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1069, 7 March 1911, Page 5

EFFECT ON NEW ZEALAND TRADE.

ißy Tclegrapu.-Spccial Correspondent.! Auckland, March 6. A cable message from Ottawa stated that the reciprocal tariff proposals which have, been in negotiation between the United States and Canada were held by tho opponents of the scheme to be likely to have an injurious effect upon the trade of Australia and New Zealand, especially upon that of this Dominion. Mr. W. A. Beddoo, the Canadian Trade Commissioner, in New Zealand, was seen by a reporter on.Saturday, and said that he did not agree with that view of the matter. He indicated upon a map that the areas of the United, States and Canada which would bo chiefly affected by reciprocal trade arrangements were the densely populated parts, while Australasian trade would rind its markets along tho Pacific coast, some 30G0 miles away. As tho subject was a controversial political one, ho was unable to express opini ions upon it, but with respect to how I far the schedules arranged between the States and Canada would affect the trade of New Zealand ho, could refer to the items of butter and frozen meat. • The present United States tariff against Canadian butter is 3d. per lb.; the Canadian tariff against United States butter is 2d.; tho new tariff would admit the butters free to both countries. As to tho effect of this, it must bo remembered that tho New Zealand trade is with the West Coast, where very little Canadian butter enters Canada, and vice versa. Tho Pacific coast would therefore still provide a market for New Zealand butter as under the preferential arrangement. With regard to frozen, meat, Mr. Beddoo said that the United States tariff is lid. per lb., and the difference in the tariff under the new arrangement only amounts to a quarter of a cent. He did not think there v;ould be any effect upon tho frozen meat trade now being developed, and which would bo all with Canada by way of the Pacific coast. Mr. Fielding, Canadian Minister for Finance, had recently stated the position fully and briefly in the House of •Commons when he said, in reference to the probablo effect of the new tariff upon British preference, that some readjustment might have to be made, but that, generally speaking, neither the principle_ nor the degree of preference would be impaired. British preference might safely be left in the hands of those who had created it. "Canada is interested in expanding her trade relations." said Mr. Boddoe, in eonelusion, "and the idea of reciprocity with the United States is part of that policy."