INTERNATIONAL BARTER

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 44, 14 October 1931, Page 2

INTERNATIONAL BARTER

_With delightful naivete the auggestion is being made in America that "Unele Sam" would graciously consent to take a number of British battleships in part payment of the British war debt to America. In view of their "No more war" declarations it is hard to conceive just what the Americans would do with the ships if they got them, but no doubt they would prove useful in helping to clean up the gangsters of Chicago ; or they might be traded in to the rum runners to act as convoys to the "bottle" fleet in order to ward off the dastardly attacks of the coast guard patrols, who interefere so unwarrantedly with the smooth running of one of Uncle's greatest industries. However, that will be America's business to decide if she gets the ships. We say if she gets them advisedly, for it must be remembered that John Bull is a stubborn sort of individual and might display a singular reluctanee to handing over his pet ships to good kind Uncle. On the other hand the news item opens up unusual avenues of conjecture as far as New Zealand is concerned and we have no doubt that Mr. Forbes and Mr. Coates will seize the opportunity with avidity. If it is ships that America wants, can we not offer her the Maui Pomare as a trade in on an order for Government motor-cars? The Maui was purchased as a banana refrigerating ship. It was unfortunate that she boiled the bananas instead of freezing them, and New Zealandefs, being conservative dieticians, would not eat boiled bananas. Americans are more progressive and might be persnaded to include them on the breakfast table instead of grapenuts. In any case, there is no harm in trying. We have other possessions which might also appeal to Uncle Sam's trading instinct. For instance, there is Arapuni. A complete hydro electric scheme as inspected by the highest paid experts in the world should fetch a good price if only as a 4,000,000 dollar mystery for the picture produeers. There is the Auckland railway station, a very hahdsome edifice that would not be out of place in Washington. Of railway material we have probably the biggest and best range in the world. Most of it is reposing peaeefully on the East Coast and South Island main trunk lines, but the men who have been engaged in laying it down coiild be just as well employed in pulling it up. A difficulty is foreseen in disposing of the tunnels, but with Sir James Parr added to the Ministry even that might be overcome.