CZECHO-SLOVAKIA

Southland Times, Issue 18842, 7 June 1920, Page 5

CZECHO-SLOVAKIA

TRADE WITH AUSTRALASIA. COMMERCE MINISTER. (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association). PRAGUE, June 4. The Australian Press Association interviewed M. Hotowetz, Minister for Commerce, regarding the prospects for direct trading arangements with Australia and New Zealand. Mr Hotowetz welcomed f the idea and said that Gzecho-Slovakia needed raw materials in order to re-establish her industries, The problem was one of finance. It would be necessary to obtain credits or make special arrangements because exchange was so seriously against Czechoslovakia. The country' had already secured nine months’ credits from the United States, whence it was importing cotton direct which was formerly purchased in London and Liverpool. The new republic looked hopefully to Britain inasmuch as Britain was the first Power to officially recognise Czecho-Slo-vakia’s national rights resulting in her independence. He would be glad to think it to develop friendly relations with hj British dominion also. Mr Hotowetz continued that they had hitherto purchased Australian and New Zealand wool in the English market, hut had a difficulty in obtaining the required quantities now except on a system of credits. He would willingly negotiate with a view to ascertaining whether it was possible to establish practical trading arrangements with Australia and New Zealand to their mutual advantage. In Czecho-Slovakia labour was cheaper than in Britain and they would supply manufactured textiles, glassware, porcelain, and paper in payment.

Mr Hotowetz suggests that Australian and New Zealand producers should test the practicability of the scheme by sending small sample quantities of raw material to responsible Czecho-Slovakian manufacturers, thus enabling them to investigate the results.