CANADA AND NEW ZEALAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 219, 5 December 1927, Page 8

CANADA AND NEW ZEALAND

IT is very pleasant to welcome back to Auckland the Canadian Trade Commissioner, Mr. C. M. Croft, who has been an earnest friend of New Zealand since he first arrived in the country. Mr. Croft has just returned from a visit to his “home folk” in the sister Dominion. He brings with him their cordial greetings, and assures us that he has met many who expressed a desire to visit this faraway land—a desire that the commissioner may be depended on to have stimulated. It is satisfactory, also, to learn that Mr. Croft reports favourably upon prospects for increased trade between the two countries, especially in New Zealand butter and woollen goods, both of which are held in high regard in Canada. Many Canadian manufacturers displayed a very great interest in New Zealand. This, no doubt, is largely the result of the Toronto Exhibition, at which New Zealand had a very fine court, and one that attracted an enormous amount of attention. The results of such publicity are becoming apparent, and it will be the duty of New Zealand to exploit the situation so that the Canadians will not lose interest in this country. There is need for an earnest attempt to bring about a closer balance of trade between the Dominions. Our exports to Canada increased enormously after 1913, their value in 1918 being £1,793,576. Then there was a continuous diminution, until in 1925 they totalled only a little over £400,000, the lowest since 1911. On the other hand, imports from Canada that year approached nearly £4,000,000 in value—a 10 to 1 business in favour of Canada. Exports are now increasing, but there is a tremendous amount to be done to bring about anything like a better balance. Of this, however, New Zealanders may be sure : Mr. Croft is not out to push Canadian goods alone, and will continue, so far as his duties and his Canadian interests .will permit, to seek a market for New Zealand goods in Canada.