TRADE REVIVAL SOON ?

Hokitika Guardian, 24 April 1931, Page 5

TRADE REVIVAL SOON ?

INDICATIONS IN ENGLAND. “A question uppermost in the minds of most people to day is that of when trading conditions are going to improve. In answer. I can say that as far as Fing]and is concerned there are definite signs* of a trade revival, and within the next few months, while no trade boom will be possible, better times will he very evident,’ said Mr F. W. Cave, manufacturer's representative of Auckland, who has returned from a twelve months’ tour abroad. “Unfortunately, England to-day seems to he suffering through an overdose of political parties, all playing for position as on a chess hoard. While this state of affairs exists industry is receiving little or no assistance; while taxation remains higher than ever.”

In visits to more than AO British factories, Mr Cave found that no opportunity had been lost in the slump period to discard old methods of production for new. Most factories had in. stalled much new machinery and had reorganised generally. A few concerns, lie thought, might well overhaul their sales executives, mid not expect profits to lie produced solely by the reduction of costs and the speeding up of production. Generally speaking, he found a very earnest desire on the part of British manufacturers in the motor and engineering trades to meet world prices and conditions. That tendency was more in evidence • to-day than during « tour of siinilifr factories ho had undertaken two years ago. THE TARIFF QUESTION'. “The tariff question is one which is daily debated among manufacturers. ’* continued Mr Cave, “and it is certain that, few free traders are left to-day. Most industrial leaders agree that at least a revenue earning tariff should he enforced; but one cannot say that the Labour Government in England ban been very easily Ed to that conclusion. It does appear highly possible, however, that such a tariff will he imposed very shortly. A It) per cent duty on the £‘)oo.o(X>.o{X) worth of manufactured goods imported into England last year , would yield something towards the increasing burden of over £2,000,000 per week expended on the dole.” In Canada, while conditions were not good, the trade slump did not appear so evident and marked as it did in the U.S.A. In the latter country, however, it was generally agreed that prices had reached their lowest and that a slow, but gradual improvement to better conditions was actuany taking place.