EMPIRE TRADE

Hokitika Guardian, 1 July 1926, Page 4

EMPIRE TRADE

ADDRESS BY TRADE COMMISSIONER, AUCKLAND. June 2D. Canada's trade within the Empire amounts to C 1.30,000.000.30,000.000 sterling per year, and lias shown aa increase right along since the war.” ‘‘Britain’s export of railway rails for the first quarter of 102(5 was 48 per cent over the figures of the same, period in 1925.” “Every man, woman and child in Britain, on the average, spends £4O in purchases from New Zealand.” Li graphic sentences like the above, did Mr L. B. Beale, his Majesty’s Trade Commissioner, drive home to members of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce the lessons of Britain’s soundness at heart of the Empire, the boundless nature of its future and the intimate character of on rown commer-

cial association with its various components. -Mr Beale showed himself a cheery optimist with a vigorous personality and possessed of the fullest detailed information to justify his utterances. He briefly traced the commercial history of Britain for the period of the war. At that time, he said, more than half of its imports were foreign. To-day of her imports more than half still came from, seven countries. but only two are foreign, and

New Zealand is now one of the seven. Bright spots in British trade during the first quarter of the present year were the figures, already quoted, referring to the railway rails exports, showing that Britain was quite able to meet the competition of Continental rolling mills, and the fact that the exports of locomotives had increased 110 per cent compared with the figures of the corresponding quarter last year. In shipbuilding seventy-four new vessels were laid down, as compared with fifty-three for-the first quarter of 1925. Britain was now building more than half the new ships of the world. Orders had come forward from Franco and America for plants for producing oxygen and hydrogen. Marine engines for Holland ; cargo steamers and tankers for the United States. Ol Britain’s exports within the Empire US per cent were fully manufactured ;

those to foreign countries were only 28 per cent fully manufactured. To his hearers Mr Beale emphasised the greatness of Canada’s future. Her resources were great beyond human credulity, and it was pleasing to note that not only was her commerce showing tremendous strides, hut the proportion transacted within the Empire was increased at a still greater ratio. During the war. Britain secured hut 8 per cent of Canada’s total imports. Today she secured 20 per cent. Canada’s opportunities in some respects had been slow in developing luit tliere were unmistakeablc signs that they were getting nearer to realisation. Each year found the United States less able to export foodstuffs, and. indeed, commencing to import; and this was an economic legacy that automatically fell to Canada. Another factor which promised increased productivity for Canada was the introduction of a new class of wheat known as Garnet, which came to maturity within a, hundred days from the time of planting, thus bringing into profitable wheat growing large areas that could not in the past have been so employed. After detailing Britain’s success in the world’s markets for manufactured goods, the speaker emphasised that it had been achieved very largely as the result of her manufacturers building up a reputation for quality and holiest workmanship. This reputation was the foundation of her position as the first trading nation in the world toditv.

Mr Bea le said Ihe order of the nations in trade was: United Kingdom. United States,. Germany, France, and Japan. Britain was pinning 'her faith oii quality aided hv a competitive price and quantity of production.' She would never, fie helieried, sacrifice quality to price.

Similarly, New Zealand to-day had to face tlie competition of many countries in supplying the Old Country with dairy produce and other foodstuffs. ami he could not too strongIv urge that on oualitv chiefly would the issue of this competition depend.