The Hokitika Guardian FRIDAY, APRIL 2lst, 1922. GERMAN TRADING.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 April 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian FRIDAY, APRIL 2lst, 1922. GERMAN TRADING.

‘ FiiOM time to time evidence is forthcoming of the pushfulness of the German manufacturers to advance their : trade wherever they can. Interesting and striking evidence of the serious and , ! intelligent efforts that are being made ; by German exporters to acquire a pre- ; ponderating share of the Italian market ; is furnished by Canadian Trade Comi missioner W. MeL. Clarke in a report . on the work accomplished by Germans | in Italy towards the close of last years. ; Ever since the Armistice, and mrv n particularly of late,, the German • “drummer” has come down to Milan. Genoa, or Naples, his Italian fluent, his ■ self interpreting an ( l e.i.f. price lists in bis pocket, and as ' of old with the one apparent desire to ingratiate himself and to make business friends. The majority of those who visit Italy, and ■ many of the exporters who do not, rea--1 lisc the value of commercial advertisj ing, and in addition to inserting eon- | spicnous advertisements in the leading '• commercial daily and in some of the technical reviews, some of the German j ' trade journals are sent out gratuitously j —one part in German and one paid in I equivalent Italian—to the leading hotels : | and to other quarters where they are j likely to he seen and read. The Ger- | pans fiujher believe in opening up not

infrequently their own houses, or at least selling their products through rn Italian agent, hut under their own

name, and once again they are making known not only their trade marks but also their names throughout the country. In the fourth place, trade inquiries received from Italy are not neglected, hut offers arc eagerly sent out from Germany in response with the result that great success has followed the prompt and intelligent answers. Another point in present-lay German methods to be noted is that trade terms from Germany arc as a general rule the most liberal that are offered to Italian buyers, and an instance is quoted by Mr Clarke in which payment was asked for when the goods had been sold. Although the activity of German manufacturers and agents in Italy cannot be too strongly emphasised as a most important factor in the development of Italo-German trade, yet there can he no doubt that the exchange situation which makes it possible for Germany to offer at very low prices on the Italian market i; lso plays an equally influential part. Reference is made in the report to the fact that German hack saws are quoted at 15 lire and less per dozen, against 45 lire a dozen for those of British make; while a tierman road roller is quoted at less than a lire per pound, whereas pig iron aionc in England costs three fourths as much per pound as the finished machine itself costs per pound from Germany. Sueli and similar pieces render competition from other sources difficult at present; and it may be that the German mark is being artificially deflated to gain export trade in the Italian and other markets. Exchange, however is uncertain and temporary, as well as being advantageous, and time will show that the putting into operation of modern export principles by continued effort will bring more than a transient success if applied by our own and other countries. All Italian houses are not anxious to trade with Germany and many prefer to buy elsewhere so that the Germans will not secure all the business. Great Britain, the 'United States, Prance and Switzerland also have commercial interests at stake in this market and it is just because of this that Germany is redoubling her efforts, abandoning hazard and playing a scientific export game.