TRADE AND OTHER MATTERS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2310, 18 November 1914, Page 3

TRADE AND OTHER MATTERS

DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER. (By T«i«Braph—Press Association.) Chrlstchurch, Novmber 17. This morning the Right Hon. W. F. Massey received a deputation consisting of Mr. W. P. Gibson, president of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. D. A. Baxter, vice-president, in reference to a circular letter from a Dutch firm, Messrs. Post Van der Burg, of Rotterdam', .who had the "nerve to tell business' men in the Dominion that if they wanted to do business with tie Germans then Messrs. Van der Burg would put tho business through for them. The Dutch were neutrals, they explained, and so letters and orders for goods, etc., could be . sent through them to Germany.. The writer urged New Zealand business men to take advantage of this splendid opportunity of being traitors, though they did not exactly use that language. Mr. 'Gibson said that he thought tho matter was of sufficient importance for the Government to take action, or at any rate to forward the letter to the Imperial Government. The Prime Minister: "Oh, I know all about that letter, and I can assure you that action lias already been taken. We are not going to stand anything of that sort here."

Mr. Gibson asked that cablo regulations should be revised. At present the use of approved codes'was only allowed to the United Kingdom, and he thought that privilege should be extended to all parts of the British Empire, Australia, and the East. The codes allowed did not fit in with all business, and he thought that it should be. optional to use code or plain English, and if the latter was used the ten-letter word regulation should be revived. Mr. Massey said he was not aware that the facts were as stated by Mr. Gibson, and he would have the matter looked into and would' see what could be done to make things easier, for business men.

slr. Baxter, referred; to the poasihil-. ity of removing the embargo on 'the export of wool to America, if < such wool was to be, used, for the benefit .-'of Americans only. He pointed out that there was danger of New Zealand-losing the American market altogether, and though prices were good at present there was an opinion abroad that these prices would not remain good for Jong, and New Zealand would suffer severely. Sir. Massey said there was a possibility of the embargo being taken off fine wools and sheepskins, but at present he did not think it could be removed from the other classes of wool. They did not wish to run any risk of benefiting the enemy, and once wool got into outside hands it would be impossible to be sure what was done with .it, ultimate declarations notwithstanding. He did not think they would see a drop in wool prices for a, long time yet, as the British demand was too keen. Later on the matter might be reconsidered.