THE CANAL & THE GERMANS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1622, 13 December 1912, Page 7

THE CANAL & THE GERMANS.

...:•.- ; •,..',.'.-. GREAT CHANGES IN SIGHT. . (By Telegraph—Press..Association.) ■' - Auckland, December 12. Negotiations are now in progress in view of the approaching opening of the Panama Canal for another important line of steamers to mako Auckland one of its ports of call. ■■.'■ "> ■' It has already been announced that possibilities of the Norddeutscher Lloyd . steamers . calling at Auckland under an arrangement similar to that by which; the •'■- P.: and 0: vessels now visit tlus port were' being investigated.''..'".'' A'"Herald"' representative, during 'a talk with Mr. Paulßutzmuhlen, of Leipzig,who'.is at present visiting the city, , learned, that the N.D.L., Company, and, indeed, other important German lines Jooked most favourably upon the idea of culling at a- New Zealand port in view of ■ the possibilities of the opening up of reciprocal trade between the two coun- ' tries/ '.;■■' One of the obstacles was" the high scale of tariffs for oertain goods now manufactured in Germany, and for which there was a demandiin New .Zealand. Referring to tho prejudice with which Gorman goods are looked upon in some • quarters/ Mr. Butzmuhlen said that there ' were absolutely. no grounds, in his opin- >... ion, for, that, feeling. Trade must ncces- "'.' Biirily "become international, and in cer- '■•' '■ 'tain-, directions Germany was better able '<■■■.-'■ to, manufacture goods than English firms, ;, '-'i and, owing to lower wages ruling in Ger- ''" 'many, they could often produce machin- .;.;■•■ cry and similar goods at lower cost, but ';■'■' - Germany-patronised English firms to a "■'•'•■" very'large, extent, and gradually, if more h-ade'were opened up, it would become , reciprocal and international. From his own observations, Mr. Butztnuhlensaid that, in his opinion, German (steamship lines would find it profitable to eall at Auckland; • »""'-!■■■■!■■■l'l.lH il .