TRADE WITH THE EAST

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 859, 31 December 1929, Page 10

TRADE WITH THE EAST

MARKET THERE READY TO BE ORGANISED ABOLITION OF TARIFF WALL Trade with the East and trade within the Empire are two subjects in which Mr. C. Alma Baker has been interested during his 45,000 miles’ trip abroad. TTE returned to Auckland this morning by the Maunganui after visiting Australia, Malay, India, England and back to Malay. “There is a big opening for New Zealand produce in the East,” he said, “and I wish our people would begin to organise it. With proper transport we could develop a big trade there because there is already a demand for New Zealand produce providing it is put on the market attractively.” The natives, he says, are connoiseurs of tinned foods, but the food must be good and the outside attractive. At present America seemed to be putting up her tinned produce more attractively than New Zealand. “I am all for trade within the Empire,” continued Mr. Alma Baker. “While I was in London I wrote a letter to ‘The Times’ and I noticed in a Sydney paper a long and interesting letter on the subject from Lord Melchett. He and Lord Beaverbrook have embarked on a big ‘Trade within the Empire’ campaign, and it. is quite possible that delegates may tour the Empire. “The British Empire possesses an excess of raw materials which the world wants,” he continued, “and the sooner we break down the tariff wall within tne Empire the better it will be for us.” Mr. Alma Baker is of the opinion that the only thing which will save the Empire is the abolition of this tariff wall. He mentioned that during his stay in England he had long talks with Sir James Parr, who has now associated himself with the Empire campaign, Mr. McDougall," of Australia House, who is on the committee of the Empire Marketing Board, and Dr. Boyd Orr, principal of the Rowett Agricultural Institute at Aberdeen. “The whole of the Press throughout the Empire must work for this ‘Trade Within the Empire Campaign,’ ” said -Mr. Alma Baker, “and agriculture must have a better time than it has in the past. In England agricultural pursuits have been masked by the big industries. I have visited all the big agricultural institutes in England and they are all striving, from a scientific point of view, to show how the farmer can increase the fertility of his land and also increase his output. “We must also have the Singapore base,” he continued, “otherwise other countries will take our raw materials from us. We must also have a base in both the north and south of Australia for protection.”