FOSTERING IMPERIAL TRADE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 121, 15 February 1919, Page 8

FOSTERING IMPERIAL TRADE

Theiie is a general desire in this country to give Britain all possible facilities in fully recovering the favoured position she formerly held in its' markets. It is to be_ recognised, however, that practical efforts as well as good-will arc called for both from tiaders in the Dominion and from British manufacturers if this result is to be brought'about. Plain evidence was

supplied at the annual meeting yesterday of the Wellington branch of tho New Zealand Association of British Manufacturers and Agents that some British linns in a position to develop trade with the Dominion have not yet awakened to the urgent necessity of exerting, themselves actively to recover lost ground and in meeting much stronger competition than they encountered in pre-war days. The broad facts arc familiar. Imports into this country from Great Britain have fallen away to a very serious extent. In view of the inflated prices' occasioned by the war the decline in the volume of imports from Great Britain is, of course, much greater than figures of the money value of imports in 1914 and in subsequent years would immediately imply. Meantime the United States and Japan have materially enlarged tlinir prewar foothold in the New Zealand market. Unless British manufacturers arc prepared to see their trade with the Dominion permanently decline .thev are bound to take lip an attitude very different from that which was criticised at yesterday's fleeting _by the president of the association (Mil. James Macintosh) and other speakers. Genuinely anxious as people in this country arc to foster inter-Imperial trade, prospects of doing so would obviously be seriously impaired if British exporters showed any general tendency to impose such vexatious delays and hampering restrictions on trade as were criticised and commented upon by the local importing agents. Such treatment would tend inevitably to drive New Zealand importers into the arms of Britain's trade competitors; and these competitors, as was pointed out, are alertly ready to seize any opportunities of tho kind. 1

Probably, however, such practices as were complained of at yesterday's meeting do not reflect a settled policy. on the part of British export traders, but a-ro to be attributed rather to the extraordinary difficulties by which they are faced in adjusting their operations to the conditions of post-war trade. Even before they were added to by the industrial disorders which now wear such a serious aspect, these difficulties were of a kind for which it was necessary to make liberal allowance. The real attitude of British manufacturers ,in regard to trade with the Dominion is no doubt indicated in' a recent statement by Mi;. 11. W. Dalton (H.M. Trade Commissioner for New- Zealand), who is at present in England, that it is impossible for him, in the time at his disposal, to interview all the manufacturing firms which desire to see him. The aim of these firms is, of cqursc, to get into effective touch witn the New Zealand market through the agency of the Trade Commissioner. The work Mr. Damon is now doing in bringing his knowledge of manufacturing conditions in the United Kingdom up to date will be of great value as a means of promoting future trade between the Dominion and the Mother Country. At the same, time it is in some respects very unfortunate that his lengthy absence from the Dominion should, be necessary, particularly during the period of postwar adjustment. The one obvious weakness in the extremely useful organisation which the British Board of Trade maintains.'through the agency of /its Trade Commissioners is the break in continuity which occurs periodically. As matters arc at present arranged_each commissioner is recalled at intervals'of about thrce_ years, and spends a lengthy period in getting into direct touch with manufacturing firms in Great Britain. In itself the practice evidently has a. great deal to commend it, but the disadvantage is entailed that while a commissioner is away from the Dominion to which lie is accredited there is an interruption of the useful services he is able to render in smoothing away just such difficulties and misunderstandings as were made the subject of adverse comment at yesterday's meeting of importers. An apparent dcfect in the Trade Commissioner system as it stands would be remedied if the Board of Trade added two or thrco commissioners to the existing' staff. A relieving commissioner would then always be available to replace one temporarily recalled in order to make hinisclf familiar with the later developments of ''British manufacturing enterprise.