EMPIRE AND TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1921, Page 5

EMPIRE AND TRADE.

MORE CAN BE DONE. PREFERENCE URGED. MR. MASSEY IN LONDON. (Official Correspondent.) London, July 20. In his speech before the members of the British Empire Producers’ Association as the special guest of the occasion, the Prime Minister of New Zealand (the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey) said that it was more than ever necessary, after what had taken place, jtliat the balance of trade should be on the side of the British people. (Applause.) Before the war Britain was a creditor country. Britain loaned to other countries and borrowed from none. But the position had been reveraedj. Britain was now a debtor country, owing a considerable sum of money to the United States; and it was urgently necessary that she should again sell more than she bought “I am very glad,” he said, “to see that affairs are again settling down in Britain, and that- the. British manufacturers will opce more be able to compete, and I hope successfully, in the markets of the world. Germany is steadily getting back to work again. America and Japan, both industrial countries, are exerting themselves, and Britain must not be left behind. The country which can produce the cheapest and best articles will get the trade. I believe that very keen competition is coming in manufactured goods—and in agricultural and ■ pastoral products as well. (Applause.) During the war period a tremendous impetus was given to the production of meat in South American countries, and the effect of it is D een to-day in London Beef from the Argentine and other foreign countries is being sold in London at prices which make competition from British countries almost impossible. The effect will be that many people who have been growing beef will have to turn their attention to some other commodity. What a splendid thing it would be if"the States of the Empire worked into each other’s hands a good deal more than they do. I should like to suggest to the Producers’ Association a slogan such as this: “British good for British citizens and British citizens for British goods.” (Cheers.) Mr. Massey urged at considerable length the advantages of preference within the Empire.

REMARKABLE DECLINE TN SHEEP.

“During the last season the British wool-growers experienced a very serious loss,” he proceeded, “the drop in prices, in New Zealand at all events, being 60 per cent, as compared with the previous year. There is, however, one grain of comfort. I have had the sheep statistics for the years 1910 and 1920 obtained for eight of the most important woolproducing countries in the world—England, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentine, United States of America, Spain, and Uruguay. Russia and other European countries engaged in the war are, for obvious reasons, omitted. These figures were difficult to obtain, but I think they are worth the trouble. 'The total number of sheep in the countries mentioned in 1910 was 354,882,677, and in 1920 it was 289,944,035, a failing away in 1920 of 65,000,000, or nearly 20 per cent. This seems to me to be a matter of great importance, because it points to the fact that the supply of wool will soon be unequal to the demand, and when that comes to 1 pass prices must go up. The same conclusions apply to matton; with a world’s diminution in sheep to meet the increasing demands, prices will increase. (Applause.) The settlement of the belligerent countries of Europe where the flocks have been denuded will, of course, have, its effect, also in rapidly increasing the demand.” NEW ZEALAND AND THE NAVY. Only the other day the Returned Soldiers’ Association of New Zealand had decided at their annual conference by unanimous vote that the interest on their canteen profits, to the extent of £BO.OOO, should be devoted towards assisting to maintain the Imperial Navy in the Pacific. (Applause.) The Navy Leagues of New Zealand had passed resolutions to the effect that the supremacy of the British Navy should be maintained, and that New Zealand was willing to pay her fair share of the cost. (Applause.) These might be small things, but they showed the spirit of the people; and he would do his beat io give effect to the desire. (Applause.) Mr. Massey concluded by saying that he believed time would come .when the little community of New Zealand - would play as important a part in the affairs of the Pacific as England had played in Europe. He thanked the gathering for the compliment paid him in his entertainment at luncheon, and he hoped that when they came together again in the future the clouds would have disappeared and the prosperity of Britain would once more be all that they could wish it to be. (Applause.)