OPTIMISTIC BELGIUM

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 280, 23 August 1915, Page 4

OPTIMISTIC BELGIUM

TAKING TIME BY FORELOCK, TRADE BUILDING FOR FUTURE. OPERATIONS IN NEW ZEALAND. That Belgium, confident of the powerful aid of England and her other Allies. expects to rise Phoenix-like on the ashes of her ruined commerce, is .demonstrated by the fact that already some of her business houses are making arrangements for the creation of new trading relations between Australasia and Belgium as soon as the intrial hive of the gallant little country is in full swing again.

In Sydney exists the Belgian Import and Export C 0.,. Ltd., of Antwerp, and j a representative of the company, M. Z. [de Ferranti (the manager for Antwerp) is at present in Auckland on a mission of establishing machinery whereby in future there can be direct trade bej tween Belgium and New Zealand. In the course of a chat with a Star rei porter, M. de. Ferranti spoke of the hopes and aspirations of Belgium for an early commercial recovery. “I believe there is a big future for trade, between Now Zealand and Belgium,” he stated. “To put the position in a nutshell, In the past wo have had practically no direct import or exm- 1 trade with New Zealand. That does not mean that New Zealand products have not boon consumed in Belgium, or that you have not received any of our manufactures, but for the purposes of trade we have had to depend upon the help of an intermediary. Practically the whole of the trade with New Zealand had been done through the German export houses. They had representatives out here for the sale of our goods, and we had to

go to them for the greater part of our raw mateials. After the treatment of our country by the Germans, it is unlikely that we want to have any trading relations with them in the future. We want to be in a position to buy our raw materials direct, in the same way that we want to- export direct to various markets. Belgium has been a highly successful manufacturing country, but it has not understood exporting. Our manufacturers have been contented to leave the work of selling Belgianmade goods to others, and frequently they have been sold under the German label). Now we want to advance as an exporting- nation. rr

Is It Premature? “When one speaks of the future of Belgian trade, many people take the view that any steps taken now are premature, because of the fact that the Germans are still in possession of the greater part of the country. But whtit is the use of getting to' the station whn the train has left? It is because we have got to get in early that wo are now taking the step of securing agents for the sale of Belgian goods in Australia and New Zealand. Thus the moment the Germans are turned out of Belgium we shall have the machinery established, and shall be able to start operations immediately. You ask ro 1 ? why we speak so confidently of the Germans being turned out of our country? It is because we know that if they are allowed to remain the British Empire will have pulled down its flag, for the retention of Antwerp in itself will mean that Germany will be bolding a postol at the head of England, and that there will never be a moment *s peace. If Belgium is allowed to remain in the hands of the enemy, it will simply imply that it is incapable of carrying out its promise—never to sheath the sword until Belgium is restored to its liberty. The reason why we never recognise the possibility of that happening is that we have supremo confidence in the promise of Britain. With that we are quite satisfied, and our dream is only of ultimate success. Speaking of the extent of German influence in the port of Antwerp, M. dc

Ferranti pointed out that, although a 1 Belgian port, it was principally used ; for the export of goods from Germany. For that reason England must ■ see to it that In future its shipping companies paid more attention to this j important port. Amongst the goods it j was hoped that Belgium would be able [ to export direct to Now Zealand were j hardware, soft-goods, and practically j the whole of those manufactured articles which in the past had come from Germany, and had been shipped through the port of Antwerp. Many of these, as he had already pointed out, hud originally been made in Belgium. “All that we can hope to achieve now,” ho said, “is to establish agents in New Zealand, so that the machinery will be here, when we can make a fresh start. Of course, the taking of orders at present is out of the question.” Shipped from New Zealand. Speaking of the import trade, M. de Ferranti said, that after the systematic devastation of pastoral Belgium by the Gorman troops, mutton, beef, and rabbits would be in great demand for many'years, while tallow, copra, various metals, and mineral products, and j other raw materials would be required I from New Zealand. Belgian manufac--1 tuners anticipated a speedy restora-

! tion of the commercial activity of the i country, for although many factorLu? and workshops have been demolish® 1 , others stib< existed, and were being temporarily worked by the Germans, i while there could be no doubt that Eng* j hsh capital would come to the rosette I in- the re-establishment of Belgium flourishing trade on even more up-to-date' lines, and upon an expanded scale.