TRADE WITH CANADA

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2269, 1 October 1914, Page 3

TRADE WITH CANADA

■ • i_ 0 RECIPROCITY URGED. Mr. W. A. Beddoe, Canadian Trade Commissioner, addressed members of the Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce last night oh the subject of "New Zealand's -Trade With Canada." He received an attentive hearing from a fairly large audience and was yarrnly applauded on concluding. Mr. Beddoe said that there were two services between Canada and New Zealand —one through the Pacific, on which the steamers went both ways because it was subsidised by New Zealand, and one leaving the East Coast of Canada for New Zealand. By this service the Canadian Government paid £2400 nor month for' a boat per month, because when Canada sold goods she always delivered them. After coming to Now Zealand ■ these boats did not return to Canada, but were loaded in Australia or somewhere ,eke, for Europe. - It would not perhaps be appropriate for him to suggest a line of action for the Now ' Zealand Government, but the question of subsidising the steamers to return to the East Coast of Canada was worthy of consideration. Ha would put figures beforo them to explain the position.' New Zealand was paying £2000 -n fcv-to. Germany foi trade and in return' slis was gi>: • back £1000 a idaj. ui> ihe other hand, Canada was giving New Zealand £200 C a day and New Zealand was giving hei back £1000 a day. Why not pve tc Canada the money that was going to Germany? His idea would be Free-tradt within the Empire, but thoy could nol get that. They could,' however,. gel preference within the Empire, and whj riot have that? Mr. Beddoe traced the growth of Now Zealand trade with Canada fron £11,000 in 1908 to £622,000 last year Canada bought from Now Zealam £622,000, and New Zealand boughi from Germany £650,000, so that Can ada's money, went to Germany. A 1 the business alluded to was done vi; Vancouver. The market ■on the easl coast had not been developed. Aftei giving an estimate of the size of Can ada, the Commissioner went on to sa; tha.t in British Columbia, which wa; four times as large as New Zealand would bo found an extensive, a grow ing, and a permanent market for Nev Zealand'products,'and in Eastern Can ada there was practically an unlimitei market. Practically all the butter pur chased by, Canada was from .New Zea land, but in all other lines there wa: room for great expansion in New Zea land trade with the older Dominion. . On the motion of Mr. J. Beid i hearty vote of thanks was accordei .Mr. Beddoe for his address. Subsequently, on the motion of th president (Mr. C. M. Luke) it wa-s de cided to urge upon the Government th necessity_ of' looking thoroughly int< the question of preference with 'the Em fiiro. ________