BRITISH TRADE

Hokitika Guardian, 15 August 1929, Page 7

BRITISH TRADE

: A BRIGHTER OUTLOOK. AUCKLAND, August 13. ! There is an undercurrent' of opinion in all ’British trade circles that any movement in future must be in the direction of an improvement. Already there is a distinctly better outlook and there are signs of increasing prosperity. This is the view of Mr Robert Bairns, of Auckland, who returned by the Manama from an eight months’ visit to England. There was much industrial activity in Great Britain and the costs of production' were being definitely lowered, Mr Burns said. England was catering more for her export trade, and there was a strong feeling in favour of trade within the Empire. The Labour Government was shaping quite well,‘the fact that it was only a Government on sufferance preventing it from undertaking any very experimental legislation. Fear had been expressed that the advent of Labour to power might interfere with the policy of Imperial preference in trade. However, Mr MacDonald and his supporters realised the value of this policy, and were hardly likelv to interfere with it.

“Mr Snowden’s standpoint on the reparations, question is bound to be popular with the general public,” Mr Burns said. “There is a ifeeling that Great Britain did more than anv other nation in the war, and that at the end of the war she was the worst treated. She is certainly feeling the pinch through taxation, which has been perilous the heaviest burden on British industry.”

Although there was a decrease in the numbers of unemployed in England, there seenied to be a class of professional unemployed, Mr Burns continued. He bad no doubt that this class rose from the dole system. It had been found in. England that it was easier to establish such a system than to>get rid of it, and all political parties seemed afraid to tackle the problem. An alarming feature was the number oi h ' young men who were prepared to live on the dole, and it was significant that a l-tw body of the working classes was opposed to the system. “We do not want the unemployment dole in any shape of form in New Zealand.” Mr Burns added.

“ The Teiuitation of New Zealand and the products of the Dominion stand very high in England to-day,” Mr ’’•urns saic], “ Tlie demand for New Zealand primary products is still growi"0 ', and there is no doubt that the High Commissioner, Sir James Parr, lias assisted very greatly in bringing this nlvmti Sir James is doing reallv excellent work in London, ai\d both