N.Z. Goods Wanted

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 635, 11 April 1929, Page 9

N.Z. Goods Wanted

CANADA KEENLY INTERESTED

Promoting Trade Within Empire (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (United Service) Reed. 10.18 a.m. VANCOUVER, Wednesday. IT is the earnest desire of Canadian businessmen, especially those of British Columbia, to import more commodities from Australia and New Zealand.

This was emphasised by the president of the Vancouver Board of Trade, Mr. W. C. Woodward, and other prominent businessmen, at a conference on Wednesday of representatives of Board of Trade delegates from Australia and New Zealand, who are attending the National Council of Education.

develop the Canadian market was to send men to study the situation. They proposed to see the Prime Minister, Mr. S. M. Bruce, and the Premiers of the States on their return. EXTENDING PRINCIPLE "SHOULD KNOW EACH OTHER” AUSTRALIAN'S ADVICE i (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. 12.16 p.m. VANCOUVER, Wed. Speaking primarily as an educationist, but almost with equal stress as an Australian, Sir Archibald Strong, in ail address to members of the Board of Trade to-day, referred to the morning’s trade conference as the first occasion on which Australians and Canadians had met to discuss trade and commerce. He suggested that the principle might well be extended to the great advantage of the whole Empire and carried even beyond questions of commerce. “If we are going to keep our great and glorious British Empire what it is, we should know as much as possible of one another and keep in steady contact.” He quoted as an instance the Asiatic exclusion policy of Australia as a misunderstanding within the Empire. “Australia,” he said, excludes Asiatics not because they are hated and despised. but to prevent tragedies common in countries where there are a great number of whites and coloured people. I wish we could do something to dispel the ghastly lies told in some parts of the Empire about other parts. All Empire universities should remain true to the British ideal of freedom of opinion.” The Rev. C. F. Andrew's, associate of Rabindranath, Tagore, wanted Canada and India to exchange AgentsGeneral to see that Punjabi residents in Canada have the franchise as in Australia and New Zealand, so as to foster better feeling within the Empire.

Admitting that' the trade balance rested with Canada, the speakers declared that this was not altogether the fault of the Canadians. Mr. Woodward said that the psychology of the Canadians was to spend money within the Empire. Mr. H. R. MacMillan said that the United States studied Canadian market conditions and gave them what they wanted and Canadians read United States advertisements.

The consumer in any country rarely chose what he wished. He bought what was put before him.

“I suggest,” said Mr. MacMillan, “that Australians should study our market conditions.” Mr. J. W. Fordham Johnston said that it was likely that he could boost Australian exports to Canada by several millions if given an opportunity. He said he was anxious to purchase Australian raw sugar, but in recent years he had not been offered any. He intimated that he might be able to pay a higher price for raw material than was obtained on the English market.

Mr. S. P. D. Malkin said that there was a big market for Australian fruits, the quality of which was unexcelled anywhere, if Australians would understand the marketing problem from the Canadian purchaser’s viewpoint. Mr. S. Baymer and others suggested to Mr. F. E. Hose, secretary of the Liquor Control Board, that if the British Columbia Government was prepared to take less profit on Australian than French wines, the Australian product would soon become popular in British Columbia.

The Australian delegates said that they agreed that the proper way to