TRADE ABROAD

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 137, 6 December 1929, Page 12

TRADE ABROAD

A NEW COMMISSIONER

MR. J. W. COLLINS TO CANADA

The of Industries, and Commerce (the Hon. J. G. Cobbe).announced to-day that Mr. J. W. Collins, Secretary of the Industries and 'Commerce Department, has been appointed as New Zealand's trade representative in Canada. The appointment has been made in virtue of a clause in the Finance Act, 1924, which provides that the Governor-General "may from time to time appoint a person to bo Commissioner for New Zealand in Canada and the United States of America, who shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor-General."

Born in Wellington,, and a son of

Mr. Andrew Collins, a well-known Wei lington citizen, Mr. Collins has serve/

practically all his life in the Civil Service. For twenty-two years he was with the Department of Labour, in which he rose to second position. In 1916 he was appointed as Secretary to the Board of Trade, and on the abolition of that board in 1922 he was appointed to the statutory position of Secretary of the Department of Industries and Commerce, in which position he has had very wide experience in all commercial and economic problems. He has given particular attention to the widening of New Zealand's markets overseas.

Mr. Collins is well and favourably known to all commercial men, and to manufacturers throughout the Dominion, his relations with the latter extending over the whole of his thirtysix years' service with the Government. Mr. Collins has acted as chairman of several important Economic Commissions instituted by the Government in recent years. He was secretary of the Cost of Living Commission in 1912, and he acted as chairman of the P.A.T.A. Commission in 1927, and he was chairman of the recent Footwear Inquiry Committee. At present ho is chairman of the special Government Timber Committee. His knowledge of the resources of the Dominion is very wide and he has had particular opportunities' of studying tho production statistics of the Dominion. Mr. Collins is regarded as one-, of the best informed men in regard to both the internal and export trade of the Dominion. In 19°6 he was entrusted by the Government to make a display of New Zealand products and manufactures, tourist and sporting attractions at the great International Exhibition held in Toronto JNcw Zealand on that occasion made a display which was most favourably commented upon by the two million visitors to tho exhibition. The result otJ-\ e. w Zealand's participation in this exhibiton undoubtedly helped to increase the demand for New Zealand products. Contracts were made in Canada as a result for additional purchases of Sew Zealand wool, butter, hemp, and casein. Since 1926 the trade from New Zealand to Canada has increased in value by 300 per cent. In making the announcement of Air Collins's appointment, Mr. Cobbe said that the Government felt that considerable- expansion of trade should be effected by the appointment of a Trade Commissioner in Canada who was capable of giving reliable trade information to importers. In particular, many JNew Zealand commodities not yet marketed there, and which would receive favourable treatment under the Canadian tariff, could be readily sold. In agricultural seeds, casein, vegetables fruit, hemp, and tallow Canada at present did a comparatively negligible trade with New Zealand, and it would be the Commissioner's auty to bring under the notice of importers in Canada the favourable position that New Zealand occupied to supply these goods. The fact, too, that the Canadian^ and JNew Zealand seasons were opposite ana the existence of a very fine steamer service between Now Zealand and Eastern Canada should help New Zealand producers considerably in regulating the marketing of their goods at a time when production was at its highest in New Zealand. Experimental shipments fostered by tho Department of Industries and Commerce with Canada in apples and onions last year showed great promise, the price received for apples particularly comparing most favourably with the prices receiv^ ed in the markets of the United Kin- ffdom. b

Mr. Cobbe said that Mr. Collins would not be leaving for Canada until the late autumn of 1930, and that his offico would be located either in Montreal or Toronto, the location being left to the discretion of the Commissioner. After establishing the office inCanada Mr. Collins would be expected to report upon the prospects of increasing New Zealand's trade with the eastern seaboard of tho "United States