WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1925, Page 4

WELLINGTON NEWS

U.S. A. AND NEW ZEALAND. (Special to “Guardian”.) WELLINGTON. Auk- 10. Tlio arrival of llie American l* loot in New Zealand waters besides evoking a great, deal of sentimental platitudes and gush about friendly relations, is bound to set the people of New Zealand thinking about the possibilities of trade with the ('united States. As the position stands to-dav New Zealand buvs a great deal more from the United States than the latter buys from the Dominion, that is the balance of trade is against us. At any given moment if a"balance were struck it would be found that we were in debt to the I'nited States, but the debt is being paid; were it not so the. Americans would cease to trade with us. The settlement is effected in a. round about wav. Wlml we owe to the U.S. is paid j out of what is owing to us by Britain. . In considering international trade it is as well to bear in mind that settlement of international trade is effected in . ooods, services or gold. I hat is any | one. any two. or the whole three, can | i .■ used, because just now the countries apart from the U.S. have not a sufficicnev of the metal. The settlement ol international balances is effected uinin|v bv the transfer of goods or the performance of services for the creditor nation. In our relations with the l .S. we have to bear in mind that we have . only a limited quantity of goods to offer the Americans, or wo should say there is a limited quantity of New Zeal mid goods that the Americans must buy. Tints we find that, notwithstanding a. very heavy duty on wool. 1 1•;* Americans liml it necessary to bus j a certain quantity of New Zealand wool. They also purchase calf skins, sausage casings, kauri gum and some other of our products, but we cannot | get our main products, such as blitter, cheese and froy.en heel, mutton amt lamb into the United .States, because' of the prohibitive tariff. Plainly then we cannot discharge our trade indebtedness to the United States by export of our goods, nor yet can we meet our obligations by payment in gold because we have not a sufficiency of the j metal, and we tire thus lei t with only one resolute, to help us in the mattei. and that is to render service's to the United States. But what tire meant bv services? Shipping, marine insurance and hanking are the main setvices. but we are in no position to furnish these. AVe can. however, perform quite another service, we might almost call it a unique service, but we have not done our best in this respect. The Americans are great travellers: thee have “ money to burn ” and they spend it in seeing the sights of the world. As Mr Walter Boyle. the American Consul at Auckland, stated the other day to the Chamber of Commerce: •‘Your country has an inexhaustible supply of a product that you could dispose ol iu in immense blocks to eager Americans. D is your scenery, your thermal wonderlands, and your medical springs. Really, I can only seo one reason why you do not )mve to employ hundreds ol traffic policemen to keep the American tourist j traffic from blocking your highways, j and that is because your country is not . well enoii.ch known in tin* l intou j States.” It is obvious that wo can rentier immense service to American tourists, but tbe latter are ignorant of the fact. Mow are we to make them acquainted with t lie Lift i Surely by advertising. AYitli all due respect to the 'foilrist Department, and tbe State Publicity Department, they know nothing of the spirit of this advertising. TMhey did they would never have produced that ponderous and costly hook “ New Zealand To-day,” and called if. advertising. There is certainly a simpler and more, direct method ol reaching the travel-hungry Americans. In tbe United States there are many tourist agencies who arrange for special trips. What would be simpler than to invite the beads of some of these agencies t". vi-.it New Zealand, as the guests cl the Government, and let them see for themselves exactly what New Zea.aioi jj*i s to offer to the American tourists. Sock (heir advice ami cu-nperat ion, fall in with their views as far us possible, give them facilities if they need them for say erecting hotels suitable to the re-piirementx ol the wealthy millionaires of America. I lie Amci iCitn iotli i-is ought To be New Zealand's greatest asset, l.tit the development ol the American tourist traffic must bo undertaken by American touring ugen- , V,apparently lack the brains, the inspiration and the money to do tlit- business as thoroughly as it should 1... done. The way New Zealand's scenic charms and al.tractions are advertised by the departments concerned is wasteful and futile, devoid of sense or system. We have a wonderful asset in our thermal wonderland, in our alpine sveuerv. our l.or.ks, out* lake.-, and river scenery, and our caves, but we have not the business ability to realise on this asset to the lull. 't is time tho business men of New Zealand studied the. economies of the tourist traffic and did a little towards making a. better use of the asset.