IMPORT TRADE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10277, 12 May 1919, Page 4

IMPORT TRADE

! POSITION OF NEW ZEALAJSI> BUYERS. Special reference to the import trade of the Dominion is made in the annual report of tho Wellington Chamber or. commerce. , ~ _.,_ Since 1914 (states the report) our, import trade from the United States of America and from Japan has shown great increasea. Imports from .the United States are double in value of those, of 1914, and imports from Japan at • least treble. Local trade continues to be good, but there is a disinclination to carry large stocks, and, as was the case last year, there has been a great deal of interbuying from bouse to house and from Australia to New Zealand, and vice versa, of - articles, which were previously procured ironvr: overseas. Now that the war is over> Ino doubt strenuous efforts will bo made by the British manufacturer to regain, much of the trade which he has lost to the United States and to Japan. At the present time organised effort is being made to retain the trade connection in the Dominion in goods of American and Japanese manufacture. Although the Armistice was signed in November!'- ''there ' has not yet been any large decrease in prices for goods from the United Kingdom—in some commodities prices are higher. The general tendency on tho part of ~. importers is to exercise extreme caution in buying in tho 'expectatioe that there will be a drop in prices; * This is particularly noticeable in soft goods, in which class of commodity'the British manufacturer does an extensive trade with New Zealand. It is quite evident that the transitional period between the cessation of'lhto'rftilitieo'arfd the' "return to normal trading'is likely to con-' tinue to be a difficult one in which tc transact business with the Utfitec Kingdom. The British manufacturei is no doubt faced with the difficulty of obtaining raw materials in some instances, and that the price of certain raw materials is" still controlled; with troubles arising from the change ovei from the fulfilment of supplies for war requirements to ordinary trade require-.... ments, and with labour JU ; .- is a period of .. facturer, and therei is no factor whick lis more disturbing in commercial activities than an element of uncertainty..