BRITISH TRADE

Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1930, Page 2

BRITISH TRADE

INCREASE IS URGED

COMMISSI ONER 'S A DURESS

CHRISTCHURCH. -Tune 13

“1 say to you, gentlemen, that it is not enough,” urged the president ol the Canterbury Chamber of Coni inerc-e (.Mr Norton Francis) at the quarterly meeting yesterday when he pointed out the small proportion o’ New Zealand’s imports irom Great Britain compared with Great Britain’s imports from New Zealand. .Mr Francis’* words were used as a text bv his Majesty’s Trade Commissioner In New Zeala. d .Mr 1.. A. RaislD, the guest of the meeting. Mr Raish urged the purchase of British goods, small and large, remarking that now wi’is the time for New Zealand to d" something in return -lor the line service of Great Britain iii the past. “ | am sure you would all like me to assure Mr Raish that we are all out for increased trade within the Em ’lire.” began Mr Francis. “Yvo stand first, for as much trade as possible "•jthin New Zealand. A Mor that Great Britain is o"r most Valued customer: abd thirdiv come the otlmr s«"tions of ftlie Empire, preferably Rinse e''unf ,,: '’s which g’Ve support to ->nr trade. Unless we get some trad” in return, it is definitely 'our dutv to divert cm- t>-de to countries which ”ade with us.”

TRADE WITH GREAT BRITAIN.

Last y ar, to March ,3Bt, 1f.30, the United K'ngdoni bought New Zealand produce to the value ol C'!7,!;”!),00 ' (7(5 per cent, of the Dominion’s exports) and sold to New Zealand, goods worth only £22.000,000 (1-5 per cent, of imports). The other countries of the Empire bought £0.000,000 wortu of our goods (12 per cent, of exports) and sold to us £1.1,000,000 worth. The United States purchased only £3,000,000 worth of New Zealand goods (6 per cent, o'f exports), and sokl to the Dominion £0,000,000 worth, • (19 per cent of imports). Other foreign countries gave to New Zealand the same total of trade, but sold to the Dominion £7,000,000 worth of tlwir own goods.

“ We hope to divert this trade to countries within the Empire trading in New Zealand, and to try to equalise the £37,000.000 Great Britain buys from us. with the £22,000,000 we buy from her.”

“ONLY FAVOURABLE TRADE BALANCE.”

Ah' Paisji, who was warmly applauded when he rose to speak, began by emphasising these figures. The trade balance with the United Kingdom was extraordinarly favourable to New Zealand, he pointed out. The other chief trading nations—Canada, the United States, and Australia—had in every case an unfavourable trade balance with New Zealand, Great Britain in fact, was the only case of a favourable balance.

‘‘Take a country like the United States,” continued Air Paisli. “It .sells to you three times as much as it buys. 1 know the whole story, and 1 know why it occurs, it is largely aquestion of motor-cars, and motor-cars were one of the dominating factors in New Zealand trade. Last year. of n total importation of £3,500,000 worth of motor vehicles, £2.000.000 worth came from the United States. It is a very regrettable thing, and I want to try to correct it. T have never been able to understand why people haxe such mi affection for American cars, ft’s the old story of wrong track, wrong price wrong power, everything wrong.”

BRITISH CAR’S AMPLE POWER

Mr Paisli pointed out briefly that the 'ritish car has a clearance as great a a if not greater than, that of the American car. The tracks were identical, except in the case of baby cars. With regard to power, the trouble was that years ago some unfortunate idiot in Great Britain invented what he called '•e horse power tax. Power had nothing to do with horse-power for this was simply calculated in proportion to the square on the diameter off the cylinder. The chief factor in engine power was workmanship, and in this Britain’s product could compare with any.

“Finally, people say our goods are too dear,” lie continued. “I want you to understand that the reason is that we are hearing an enormous financial •urden of war costs. AVith 1,500,000 men unemployed, we in Great Britain are rather up against it just now. Part of my job is to appeal to you to help ns in our hour of distress. You must admit that the Old Country has served you pretty well ; and now you have reached a state of maturity, you can help the Old Country in return.”

HEAVY COST OF WAR

The Great War cost the United King dom £10,000,001),(K)(),00(1, a sum equal to a line of sovereigns 300 times between Wellington ami Auckland. The present cost was (,'350.(>,)(),000 a year or £1,000,000 a day. All this burden was on the shoulders of the British industrialists, and the British workmen. For war alone, they were paying £520,000.00() a venr.

“No one is asking you to buy goods not suitable for your purposes at prices that are too high,” end Air Paisli. “All we ask is that you help us by buying British goods where you can,

and ask for them, and look at them every time.”

Mr A. Burns returned the Chamber's, hanks for such a bright, breezy, instructive, and informative address. He -oped that no pressure from political masters would detract irom the ( ommissioner’s excellent efforts in Non Zealand. The information he had given particularly that about motor-cars and wrappers, had been very interesting Regarding my own industry,” said Mr Burns, “the members ol the Empire Press Association are now discus sing propaganda work in connection with British trade, and certain negotiations lining considered by them are ijkely to have a good effect on the newsnaner industries between the two countries.”