MARKETS IN AMERICA

Hokitika Guardian, 26 November 1924, Page 1

MARKETS IN AMERICA

chances for n.z. A\ KI.I JNCTOX, Novemlxr 24. Ibe Hon. Donald MacKinnon, is it passenger by the Tahiti from the l nited States, where ho litis been ac-t----iny as Trade Commissioner for AttsLralia. To a ‘'Post” repot ter, he sttid that their complaint in Australia was that the trade between Australia and America was unduly one-sided. Australia was the best customer that Ametica had for motor-cars. “Possibly,” lie continued. ‘‘the American wool buying for the next year or two will yo a long way to reyttlate the present balance of trade. We Australians have to learn that there ate other tilings besides trade which may be badly balanced, and we must leant that the great regard and admiration tor Australians and New Zealanders which can be turned into n valuable asset for us ha.s to be reciprocated. Due very necessary development is increasing travelling. The Americans •since the war have developed what we know in Australia, in the language of the aborigines, ‘tbe walk about’ tend-I etiev, and they are like Alexander the Croat—looking in their thousands for new tomitries to visit. New Zealand and Australia ought to co-operate for the purpose of inducing a stream of tourists to come to the Southern Hemisphere. We must, improve our

hotel accommodation, and we must improve our transportation. A great deal can be done in the way of organisation among hotelkeepers, and with enlightened Government assistance, to make these Dominions more attractive. He indicated that there were great, possibilities in connexion with the tourist traffic from the States and from Australia to New Zealand. TRADE INCREASING. “The trade between Australia and New Zealand and America .seems to me.” added the visitor, “to he certain to increase, and that very rapidly. My idea is that the proper ■on trance for our products into America, is th 1 ouu.li’ the Panama Canal. We want to get trade from Australia, and New Zealand to New Orleans, Baltimore. Philadelphia, New York and Boston. “California is a serious competitor with Australia in many lines. For example in the New York meat markets you find a large ([uautity of Californian raised lamb. The Americans are not big beef eaters. The manual labour class, who in most countries where they can afford it. are large consumers of beef and mutton, in America arc

largely of foreign origin. The workers ill the steel industry come from CV.t'cho-Slovakia. the workers on the railways, who do the heavy manual work, are Mexicans and Italians, and a good deal of the artisan work in connexion with the building trade, which is very active in America at present, is done by Italians. They have not yet learned to eat beef and unit ton like the Australian and New Zealand workers. The middle ela--.es do md eat much meat, because there lias been mediial pro; agenda against llosh eating, and they incline more to consuming fruit and vegetables, salads, and fish.

“Tbe growth of the population in America, even with the restrictive immigration laws, is still very rapid. It -eeni- to me that they are catching up tle-ir capacity to produce their own fund. It "ill not be many pears before Iliere are I '■().( !l :0.(:< It) people in the I mil'll Sian 'si. They haie a high standard of life, and it teems to me that they are hound to look to Australia and New Zealand mure and more 1,,r the l*i aa 1 which they require. and for nun’ll of the clothing " hi' It is mu cssary in a cold climate ,-auli as theirs i-, during a great part of the year.” Australians and New Zealanders, he said, occupied a I position in the United Stales, where their ability received more reiiignit itin than it did in t heir own i mini ry.