SIR J. ALLEN.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 September 1926, Page 1

SIR J. ALLEN.

VIEWS ON TRADE.

[by telegbaih- ter press ASSOCIATION. I

AUCKLAND, September 13,

“ I am not yet worn out,” smilingU assured Sir James Allen, late New Zealand High Commissioner, who looked the picture of health as he replied to a suggestion that he should reenter public life in New Zealand. As the guest of honour at a complimentary luncheon held by til e Auckland Chamber of Commerce to-day, Sir James Allen was greeted with enthusiasm by members of the Chamber of Commerce as lie entered, and also when lie rose to respond to a toast which liad been drunk in bis honour. Sir •Tas. Allen said it was some compensation for the strain of public life to receive such flattering attentions as bad just been bestowed upon him by the proposers and supporters of the toast. He could not adequately voice the feeling of pride and pleasure he experienced to hear, as he entered the room, the strains of “God Save tho King,” and to see Union Jacks all round the room. He went on to refer to the British coal strike. He said that ho could not suggest any solution, except to say that it could only be found by a compromise on the part of both sides to tho dispute. One tiling was certain, rt liiicl greatly reduced tlic spending power of the people. To any other nation, he Said, the present industrial position at Home would he looked upon as hopeless, but those who knew the solidarity, patience and determination of the British people would never lose hope. (Applause.) Regarding the New Zealasd Fruit Board, he said lie was satisfied that that industry was well represented by Colonel Gray. He was very hopeful of a successful future for the apple export industry, owing to the high regard in which New Zealand fruit was held in London.*

Referring to the League of Nations and to the recent entry of Germany he said this development was viewed with suspicion in some quarters, lie must say that the German delegates whom he had met seemed honest, straight-forward men, whose ideais were honourable. At the same time, lie asserted, all Germans were not honest. Indeed some New Zealanders were not.

It bad been suggested that he might still be of some service in the public life of this Dominion. In this respect lie had no definite plans. It was great jov to bo back, and to meet so many old friends, and lie hoped that, later on, it might he possible for him to do something further for bis country. (Applause.) Sir Janies Allen said the position oT New Zealand High Commissioner had been frequently discussed in recent years, and there had been a suggestion that the High Commissioner should confine himself Lo the diplomatic work of his office, and that another official who might be called the Trade Commissioner, should be appointed to deal with trade matters. He (Allen) had no hesitation in saying that such a policy would be a grave mistake. The two classes of work were so closely intermingled, that they could not be satisfactorily divided. British legislation bad trade as its main objective. At every point, whether it be an international conference at Geneva, or an economic conference in London, a High Commissioner must be able to deal with matters from both the diplomatic and the commercial standpoint. His own method had always been/to attend to (lie diplomatic side himself, and, when trade matters cropped up, lo consult one of his trade advisors on the subjects requiring special knowledge. He'still felt that was the best method. Sir .Tas. Allen referred to tho Meat and the Dairy Produce Boards. He said the wqrk done by (lie Meat Board had been excellent, but there was considerable anxiety as to tbc proposed activities of the Dairy Board. *The Meat Board bad been exceedingly fortunate in the officers representing it in England, and he only hoped that the. work of the Dairy Board would prove ns effective. One thing was very clear. That was that am* attempt on the pai't of the Dairy Board in fix prices without proper regard for the market conditions would in the end prove disastrous. Tills Board would bo well advised to co-opera to to the fullest extent possible with the Loudon moieliants, who knew the dairy produce business, and, above all, it should keep in the foreground a constant endeavour to assist the producers to improve tlie quality of New Zealand products, for’in the end. it was quality which dominated the markets.

Touching on the question of tariff preference. Sir .Tas. Allen said that there was a feeling prevalent in England that our tariffs, while they, apparently. were designed to give the British manufacturers tho preference, were being used primarily to build up our local industries. To those who spoke in this way. ho had replied that the proper course was for the British manufacturers to come out to New Zealand and to establish branch factories of their own. Recently, lie liad taken out some figures with reference to the jrrowth of our secondary industries. He had found that these were increasing at a greater rate than the population. Ho was not prepared to say that this was a matter of concern at the moment, hut. if the same ratio were maintained in the future, it would prove disadvantageous. He could not emphasise too strongly that "the chief endeavours of those responsible f or Y,.,v Zealand’s Government should bo directed towards the encouragement of primnrv industries. Tn this connection. ho was pleased to see the development that, bad taken place in regard to tl-o providing of finance for the farmer. He considered the Advances to Settlers rmlic-r. combined wi+h the now banking scheme, was equal to anything else in the world so far as agricultural finance was concerned. However, the people as a whole must be made to realise that, in every possible way, the man on the land must he assisted to keep up and increase production. Tlie Merchandise Marks Bill, which had been before the British House of Commons, was a measure from Which the speaker had hoped the New Zealand producers would benefit. Under it. the English consumer would know, when he bought New Zealand butter, that it wss New Zealand butter; when he bought New Zealand lamb., that it was New Zealand lamb, and so on. He had worked unceasingly with objects in support of this measure, hut. unfortunately, there were many interests involved, and so far it had not become law.