TO FOSTER TRADE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 922, 15 March 1930, Page 6

TO FOSTER TRADE

NEW ZEALAND’S EFFORT IN AUSTRALIA FAREWELL TO REPRESENTATIVE Special to THE SUN WELLINGTON, Thursday. “New Zealanders and Australians, members of two very important poit.ions of the Empire, should by determination and effort encourage and increase goodwill, mutual understanding and a proper knowledge of each other’s problems,” declared Mr. L. J. Schmitt, New Zealand trade representative for Australia, at a farewell today. Mr. Schmitt, who is shortly leaving to establish his office in Sydney, outlined his policy in relation to bettering the position between the two Dominions. “The Government has decided that the reorganisation of New Zealand s representation in Australia shall include a head office in Sydney,” he said. “This will not be an additional office, but will replace the present Sydney office. A branch office will be maintained in Melbourne and it is my intention to consider the appointment as agents of firms who are in private business as tour promoters in all the principal cities and towns in Australia, and work in with them. They will operate on the usual commission basis.

“I hope that the Melbourne-Bluff-Wellington service will receive growing patronage in New Zealand and the Australian southern States. Later it is intended that Tasmania shall be linked up, and special efforts will be made to increase the trade and tourist traffic by this service. Development of trade with the East will probably take place through Brisbane, or Sydney. I intend to make inquiries in order to be sure which is the more suitable port. If it is found that Brisbane offers better and cheaper facilities for the transhipment, of cargoes to and from the East, this will assist in the development of direct shipping from Queensland, which seems to me to offer a splendid field for tourists and the export of certain New Zealand commodities.. With the co-operation of all parties in New Zealand greatly increased numbers of tourists should be encouraged to come to the Dominion. It seems almost incredible that New Zealand, with its much smaller population, should send more tourists to the Commonwealth than Australia sends here. Yet 10,300 New Zealanders went to Australia in 1328 and only 8,700 Australians came here. Publicity. properly co-ordinated, directed and followed up, will be our aim. “Unfortunately, New Zealand and Australian trade figures have been diminishing for the past three years. One of my greatest problems will be to reverse this tendency. You all know that the balance of trade is and has been greatly in favour of Australia. But she is still our best customer for quite a number of our exportable products, and second to the United Kingdom in a considerable range of other gooes. Our prosperity is largely bound up with hers, especially in the tourist trade. Our financial relations are close, because of the same banks and insurance companies operating in both countries, and because of the fact that it was mainly British capital that developed both Commonwealth and Dominion. “To foster trade it would be excellent to extend the practice of inviting businessmen and public men to visit New Zealand and confer with such organisations as Chambers of Commerce, Manufacturers’ Associations, tourist , and progress leagues. Reciprocity iu such a course should be possible, as I know it is favoured in Australia.”