BELGIAN MARKETS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 152, 23 March 1921, Page 5

BELGIAN MARKETS

A CHANCE FOR NEW ZEALAND CONSUL-GENERAL HINTS AT RECIPROCITY The incidence of the New Zealand Customs tariff on the future commercial relations between the Dominion and Belgium was made the subject of some interesting remarks by M. Henri Segnert, Belgian Consul-General for Australasia, in his address at the New Zealand Club’s luncheon yesterday afternoon. He led up to them by pointing out that Belgium wanted foodstuffs to feed her population, and she wanted overseas trade to give her people the opportunity to dispose of her manufactured products. Belgium ' was a ready market for New Zealand products. These wanted only to be known as New Zealand products and Belgian buyers would be keen to help the Dominion in t'his way. Personally, he hoped to be of some assistance in this direction.

A Fair Exchange. "But naturally,” he continued, "we are anxious to secure a fair exchange in the matter of commerce and to develop also our .national trade, if possible by direct interchange with the Dominion. . . . But we will bo faced very short' ly with a grave problem in the shape of tlie reform of the New Zealand Customs tariff- . . . il must express the hope that the splendid sentiments of sympathy and praise that have been so generously expressed towards my counitry, since we rose in August, 1914, against our common enemy, will find in this occasion the good opportunity to take a practical expression. Some time ago. King Albert, my beloved Sovereign, paid an official visit to the Brazilian Republic, and one of ifhe ’ appreciated results of this visit has been ‘the enthusiastic vote bv the Brazilian Parliament of a reduction of 20 per cent, on all Articles of the Brazilian thrift in favour of Belgium. > "We Belgians perfectly understand that as citizens of the British Empire yon wont in the Dominions to favour, above all, the Home produces and to give to the Mo-Oier Country all the advantages compatible with the welfare of your own population. But if you are to give the best chance to the Old Country, we can expect, I suppose, to be given a sporting chance end to be not struck against a wall of almost absolute prohibition. This policy is in accordance with-the real interest of tlhe New Zealand community, which is to buy the necessary things where they can be found in any Allied and friendly country at the cheapest price for equal qualify.” Belgium’s Qualified Offer.

Continuing, M. Segaert stated that in Belgium the influence of Free-trade was overwhelming. Tn 1913 t*ie dutiable goods formed only 16.8 per cent, of the total imports. Raw materials and foodstuffs were in general exempt from duty. When duty was charged itl seldom went beyond 15 per cent. It could not be denied, however, that in self-defence a feeling had been growing up lately in the opposite, direction. Belgium was only too willing to continue her Freetrade policy and to allow products ns those of New Zealand to enter her ports without pr with very smn'l duties. . but in this direction Belgium’s attitude would certainly depend upon the willingness of the other countries to make it not too hard for her to export her goods and to get fair competition conditions. The ncfliial policy of the Belgium Government was to encourage direct communication and trade between Belgium and oveT.sea countries and so dispjense with costly intermediaries. Be sincerely hoped that this policy would be apprecia’bd in New Zealand and that the new Tariff Bill would either give them a special chance to carry on this prlicy or leave the door open for further special negotiations, in order to draw up a treaty of commerce giving a fair outlet to the common aspirations of both countries in point of direct trade and mutual exchange.