TRADE WITH BELGIUM

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 670, 23 May 1929, Page 16

TRADE WITH BELGIUM

N.Z’S OPPORTUNITIES LARGE MARKET AVAILABLE (torom Our Resident Reporter) WELLINGTON, Today. Another striking- increase in. trade between Belgium and New Zealand is reported by M. Armand Nihotte, consul for Belgium. M. Nihotte has just received from the Customs Department the figures for exports and imports between the two countries* up to the end of March last. These show that exports to Belgium have risen from £250,000 in 1927-8 to £263,000 in 1928-9, while imports have climbed from £388,000 to £565,000 in the same period. Principal increases are electrical goods, which increased from £87,000 to £147,000; chemical manures, which increased from £87,000 to £139.000: cotton goods, which rose from £27,000 to_ £36,000; silk, which rose from £5,000 to £8,000; and precious stones, mostly diamonds, which increased from £17,000 to £25,000. New Zealand obtains practically all her diamonds from Belgium, there being 15,000 cutters employed in Antwerp alone. Paper has also risen from £16,000 to £24,000. The greatest, decrease is in plate and ■window glass, which has fallen from £26,000 to £17,000. The last year has been an outstanding one, there having been 10 ships from Antwerp to New Zealand direct, and new phosphates being introduced to the Dominion. Nitrate of soda from Belgium has made its first appearance locally during the period. M. Nihotte points out that there is still a great market, largely untouched, awaiting New Zealand goods in Belgium.