“NEVER BEEN WORSE”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20006, 3 August 1939, Page 16

“NEVER BEEN WORSE”

TRADING RELATIONS DOMINION AND AUSTRALIA IMPORT SELECTION ECHO (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, this day. Trading relations between New Zealand and Australia have never been worse,” said the retiring president of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, Mr. P. D. Smellie, in his address to the annual meeting of the chamber last evening. He was referring particularly to the recent development under the import selection policy by which Australian purchases have been drastically curtailed and he expressed the hope,that an attempt would be made to improve the present position. “Australia and New Zealand are the two most distant members of the Empire,” he said. “They are drawn together by history and geography with a common heritage and culture and similar aims, ideals and problems. Shortly they are to be brought within nine hours of each other by modern transport. Yet the trading relationships between us have never been worse. “I do not refer particularly to the potato-and-orange wrangle, which is 'a standing reproach to both Governments, but more to the recent developments under the import selection policy by which Australian purchases have been drastically curtailed.”