INDIES’ TRADE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22341, 28 May 1947, Page 5

INDIES’ TRADE

HOPES OF RESUMPTION AUSTRALIAN POSTS NEGOTIATIONS UNDER WAY SYDNEY, May 27. The Commonwealth authorities hope for an early general resumption of trade with Indonesia following the Dutc'n-Indonesian negotiations which are still continuing. The Minister of External Affairs. Dr. H. V. Evatt, confirmed the report that the Dutch and Indonesian Republic Governments both desired the shipment of goods from Australia. Agreement on Distribution of Goods In a joint letter to the Australian Consul-General at Batavia, Mr. B. C. Ballard, the Indonesian Premier, Dr. Sutan Sjahir. and the Governor-General of the Netherlands East Indies, Dr. H. van Mook, advised this and added that the Dutch and Indonesian authorities have agreed on the distribution in Indonesia of all Dutch-owned goods in Australia. Dr. Evatt said the letter had followed lengthy negotiations initiated by the Australian Government early in April.

The Dutch authorities at Batavia had issued regulations prohibiting the ex-poi-t by the Republic of all goods produced on Dutch-owned estates and the import into Republican territory of goods which could be used for military purposes. While this was not a matter affecting Australia only, as British, United States and Chinese ships had been held up by the Dutch Navy, it was considered that Australia had helpful suggestions to offer to both the Dutch and Indonesian authorities. Financed by “Frozen Accounts” At the end of April, four Australian officials went to Batavia to assist the Consul-General in the discussions. It was suggested that trade should be resumed without restriction and that, pending the conclusion of current negotiations between the Dutch and Indonesians, it should be financed by frozen accounts. , The future policy of the Waterside Workers’ Federation with regard to the ban on Dutch shipping in Australian ports will not be decided until the assistant general secretary, Mr. E. Roach, returns from Indonesia, where he is attending a trade union convention. Australia had lost millions of pounds’ worth of trade as a result of the watcrsiders’ ban, said Mr. J. K. Kreen, of the Netherlands East Indies Bureau. It was impossible to estimate the total value of trade lost since the ban was applied in September. 1945, he continued, but more than £6,000,000 worth of Austra-lian-made goods had been held up at Australian ports. They were ordered and paid for by the Dutch, but were still in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. The ban had brought near starvation to people in the new State of East Indonesia whose Government had no political quarrel with the Dutch. The lifting of the ban would enable Australia to resume importing petrol, tea, kapok and rubber.