TRADE WITH THE EAST

Hokitika Guardian, 7 March 1924, Page 4

TRADE WITH THE EAST

MR W! [.LORD'S PROTEST. WFI.LIXGTOX. .March u. In ccnneclion with telegraphed statemeats regarding New Zealand and trade with the Fast the following letter has been forwarded hy Mr T. Al. Vi'iiford. Leader of the. Opposition, who recently visited the Fast, 10 the lion \V. Donnie Stewart: — ■’l have read your announcement in respect to trading with the Fast this morning with interest and also with astonishment. If you desire to kill the very tiling ! am aiming at you will succeed if you persevere in your suggestion with relation to despatching a steamer as early ns May next. In my article in the “New Zealand Times”, in relation to opportunities for trade with the East these words were used hy me: “I believe it would pay to have a commercial agent in the East, and if the butter people, milk people and woollen people could see what f have seen they would, I am sure, lake care that no time elapsed before thi" move was made. You now propose, without having blazed the trail, to exploit the Fast. So far there has been no combined movement whatever of the producers above-mentioned definitely to (ix markets or even to make arrangements for the sale and distribution of our produce. 'When it arrives in the Fast no agents have been appointed for the distribution of the same, no “go-downs” have been procured, which you must see are essential. especially in Singapore and Java. Again you must surely see that before goods are shipped to Java and Singapore cool storage is required there. This could no doubt be arranged in time, but before that arrangement is made reputable firms must be interviewed and interested, for competition from Australia is real. Agents of Australian vendors are big and substantial firms there. May I ask what is to become of the produce when it arrives at, say, Batavia or Singapore unless agencies ready to receive and market the same have been fixed well beforehand? Finally, how do you expect to obtain a cargo from this country for such a. venture under such conditions? T ask you to pause before such a project as you have launched will bo allowed to go any further, for clearly your action is putting the cart before the horse. If you are desirous of killing the project stone dead your work will, in my opinion, have that effect.”