TRADE CONDITIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 June 1920, Page 9

TRADE CONDITIONS.

ENGLAND AND AMERICA 1 , WELLINGTON MAN'S IMPRESSIONS AND COMPARISONS. Mr. A. Waterwortli, of the firm of Waterworks, Ltd., New Zealand, who recently returned by the Tofua from! a business visit to America and England, in conversation with a New Zealand Times reporter, gave some interesting details of information he had gleaned and impressions formed while abroad. PHOTOGRAPHC MATERIALS SCARCE Mr. Waterwortli left Wellington early m October of last year, going to San Francisco, Chicago, New York, as well as other smaller cities. He found that conditions prevailing in the photographic' world were chaotic, following on the War; optical goods, bases and shutters for cameras were practically unobtainable. Tlie proper base for paper emulsions was dillirult to obtain, prices being high and ever soaring, and as American supplies were not satisfactory, tliey depended on Europe. The output was very limited, only one factory in France supplying a suitable base, and buyers were competing keenly for the products of that factory. In the case of goods, such as enlargers, many factories were compelled to stop manufacture owing to the prohibitive cost. Labor everywhere and' in every trade Was difficult to obtain, and wages were continually being increased. WAGES AND THE EXCHANGE RATE.

Mr. Waterworth gave several instances of the high rate of wages paid in the States. The Western Union Cable Company were advertising for message boys, sixteen years of age, and were prepared to pay 15 dollars per week and commission. The commission that could be earned weekly often came to 30 dollars, so that it was possible for boys to earn—by hard work, of course—4s dollars, or £9 per weekGirl machinists received wages from 25 to 35 dollars for a week's work, while men sewing ladies' costumes were able to make 50 to 90 dollars.

The existing high''rate of exchange, Mr. Waterworth said, was only the natural outcome of post-war conditions, and, in his opinion, could only be improved by increased production. In New York he saw a draft solo for goods which, under normal exchange, would be worth £OOO, but which had to be liquidated in New Zealand by a pay-, menf-'of over £ 750. ANTI-BRITISH AGITATORS.

While in America, Mr. Waterworth had the opportunity of discussing current political matters with some of the leading business men. He found that they were quite in sympathy with Britain and quite understood her difficulties. A very noisy, but not numerous, section of the community was represented by the Hearst Press;'they delighted in flowing seeds of discord and discontent between Britain and America. Responsible Americans, however, had no sympathy with the Hearst Press.

AFFAIRS IN ENGLAND. On going across the Atlantic, Mr. W aterworth found that conditions in England were identical with those of America. English houses who ship goods, say, to the value of £IOOO, to America, received this sum from the bank, while the enterprising American buyer pays only the equivalent of £750, and he, therefore, comes off the best. Mr. Waterworth visited London, Birmingham, and Manchester, and at each of these cities the factories were not able to compete with the demand. Everywhere the complaint was that the workers were not producing as much as in pre-war days, although wages had been improved. Mr. Waterworth visited the British Industries Fair, which was attended by buyers from all parts of the world. , Many of the exhibitors tvere not accepting orders for delivery of goods until 1921.