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Hokitika Guardian, 1 November 1932, Page 4

The development or trade "with the Far East by New Zealand has been discussad by many who have recently toured there, v and as the question has been given. >a great' deal of attention by the Government, primary producers, manufacturers’ organisations, and Chambers of Commerce, a. review of the present position is interesting. Especial interest attaches to the discussion, as.there has been disappointment expressed that there will not he representation of the Dominion’s produce at the exhibition in Hong Kong i,i jNlovamilfar). IjTharf) disappointment will be allayed to. some extent by. the fact that there is to be an Empire exhibition at Hong Kon’g in May or June, 1933, and primary producers and manufacturers should thus have ample time to prepare exhibits and forward them for fa New Zealand section. New Zealand has honorary trade representatives ait Shanghai, Mr S. Hutchison, and at Tientsin, Mr L. A. L. Moore, and in view of the forthcoming exhibition it is possible that an honorary trade I representative may be appointed in Hong Kong. Enquiries concerning shipping facilities to the Far Ehst reveal that there is no direct service, transhipment being involved whatever rout 4 is taken, thus adding considerably to the cost of transport. So far as ,New Zealand fruit is concerned 1 , there is on.-embargo'—similar to that in Australia and America—-against the importation of New Zealand apples and oears into Japan owing to the fear of fi,reblight, so that the fruit cannot be sent>by that route, pis trails-shiri-me nt at Kobe is prohibited for the same reason. Tt has been possible for New Zealand fruit to be trans-shipped at Sydney for the Far East under quarantine restrictions, but the delay entailed in obtaining the quarantine certificate rendered the practice unworkable. Recently representitons were made to the Commonwealth Government by the Department of Agriculture on this (subject, and 'as a result both the Commonwealth Department of Markets and the quarantine authorities have cl finitely promised to assist New Zealand exporters in every wav by issuing quarantine certificates without trouhl > or deb’*, This part of the work will he merely formal now, and it will be pofisib’e to tranship fruit at Sydney r or En .to"" oountrks, including China, Hong Kong, Dutch East Indies, and other places except Japan. Preparations for trial shipments to Japan will probably be made to tort, the m nr tots in the forthcoming season. In regard to the

Malay States, Dutch East Indies, and India, the only direct service is by a steamer which makes only three round trips a year. It is felt that a fourmonthly service is inadequate for the purpose of building up .any substantial trade.