THE CHANGED CHINA.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1676, 17 February 1913, Page 8

THE CHANGED CHINA.

WHAT OF ITS MARKETS? CHANCE, FOE COLONIAL WOOL. , (By Merraph.—Speol-al Correspondent.) . Auckland. February l'j. . "China is now a Repnblio, and tho peo< plo are now an independent and tiuch happier nation." This was the most important observation which Mr. Alexander Hopworth, of San Francisco (who tossed through Auckland yesterday) made during an extended visit to the hast. Mr. Hopworth is a journalist, and he recently toured China and Japan in company * ith a number of writers from England and the Continent; He told' a "Herald" representative some interesting facts about the now China—a China which is wakening to tho possibility that, if her people were enlightened, their nation might hecomo a very important nation. "Tho greatest change has come o\er China," said Mr. Hopworth, "Tho men who are now in charge of the country's affairs aro ■ educated, reasonable, and broad-minded, and they have as their main object the establishment of better relations with the outside world. The leaders' objects are to elevate tho pcoplo and make them command a higher regard in tho white countries, where hitherto they have been—well, if not despised, neglected." i

"Ono of tho most important decisions of tho now Chineso Government," continued Mr. Hopworth, "is that it intends to negotiate for better relations with Australia in the matter of trade. There are enormous possibilities for trado betveen Now Zealand and China, and there is an opportunity which your ' Government should not fail to take advantage of. Wool, for instance, will bo bought by China to ten times tho extent -that has been formerly tho case, and I have r.o hesitation in 6nying that it would pay some of your big commercial concerns to send representatives to tho principal Chinese towns to open up markets for New Zealand wool. Tliero is no doubt that tho prices which will bo paid will bo very much higher than in any other country. Tho. change in -China includes a change of dross. Amongst the people everywhere there is much eagerness to cony Western ideas, and in clothing especially tho people hunger for tho styles and customs of the English-speaking countries. "Thore is nothing to lose by opening up trado relations with tho awakened China," concluded Mr. Hopworth. "In fact, it would bo worth your Government's whilo to Send a repressntotiv* thero as 6oon os possible. The demands of the huge nation aro immense, bt jend calculation, for . the wave of progress of European ideas cannot now receive «. check. A reciprocal trado would open up for New Zealand a now rich field for her agricultural goods, a field which is inexhaustible ana highly profitable." ,