A TRADE COMMISSIONER IN LONDON

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2882, 21 September 1916, Page 4

A TRADE COMMISSIONER IN LONDON

1 Speculation has started, we aro told iu a cable message to-day, as to the intentions of the New Zealand Government concerning the High Commissionership. ■ Sir Thomas Mackenzie's extended term of office iis nearing its end,' and his friends, and no doubt Sib Thomas himself, are anxious to know what tho Government, propose to do in tl'o matter. Not knowing the Government's mind on tho subject, we can only assume that no announcement ha 3 yet been made because Cabinet prefers that the matter should stand over until Mr. Massey and Sin Joseph Ward visit London. Wo doubt the matter has been discussed, and.probably wo shall learn in due course that Sin Thomas Mackenzie has beon induced to continue in tho office of High Commissioner for a further limited perio,d. This on tho face of things seems a desirable course -to follow. A few days ago, in discussing the question of tho commandeering of our "meat by the Imperial authorities, and the possibility of tho effects of tho temporary diversion during the war of so much of ouv produce from its ordinary trade channels, we urged the advisableness of appointing a Trade Commissioner in London to specially watch tho interests of the New Zealand producer and to extend whorovcr possible our market in Britaiu. It is not necessary to repeat again the reasons which commend a step of this nature, but the mention of Sir Thomas Mackenzie's possible retirement at no distant date from his present offico suggests the possibility that he might be induced to accept the position of Now Zealand Trade Commissioner. If he could bo induced to give his wholo energies to this work his past oxpcrieflcc and familiarity with the conditions which exist both hero and in the Mother Country should enable him to render most valuable service. It would moan that the office of Trado Commissioner would have to bo placed on a substantial footing, but in view of tho possibilities that may arise out of after-war conditions the cost of this new departure would bo trifling compared with the probable benefits to our primary producers. In our reference, recently to the excellent prices now being realised for our primary products and tho necessity for looking ahead to the altered conditions which must follow on the ending of the war, we inadvertently bracketed Now Zealand meat with other products for which specially high prices wore ruling as the result of tho war. As a matter of fact, as is well known, the prices received for ouv meat purchased by the Imperial authorities under the arrangement entered into early in. tho war, though well up to pre-war standard, cannot rank with tho war prices received for most of our other primary products. Tho meat raisers indeed have had much tho worst of tho deal in this respect, and arc receiving much bolow the market rate ruling in London. It is interesting to note that in a recent issue of tho Financier, Sir Thomas Mackenzie discussed at some length after-war trado prospects, and specially stressed the necessity for reform in connection with tho Empire's Consular service and trado representation. "What wo have to fight," ho said, "is tho ■

conservatism of tho time, tho official tendency to emphasise advantages of present methods of trado and commerce, and to exaggerate the dangers of untried experiments —in short, to do nothing but talk and warn and delay." Here is a chaneo for our National Government to do something practical. Let us experiment with a live Trade Commissioner in London. If Sir Thomas Mackenzie is not available for i tho position, there are no doubt other suitable people who would bo willing to take up the work.