TRADE WITH GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 February 1922, Page 8

TRADE WITH GERMANY.

AUSTRALIAN RESUMPTION. Sydney, Jan. 18. It has now been definitely decided by the Federal Cabinet that trade with Germany will be resumed on August 1 next. An embargo on trade with the enemy countries has been in operation for more than seven years, and it is only a few weeks ago that the Federal Parliament expressed the opinion that the time had come for the lifting of the restrictions. The Prime Minister (Mr. Hughes) states that with the resumption of trade relations Germany would be entitled to representation in Australia, and that a consul would have to be appointed. In order to prevent unfair competition, the Ministry has decided to delay the actual resumption of trade relations until August, and in the meantime measures are being prepared to prevent the .dumping of German goods into Australia.

The details of these restrictions were announced by the Minister for Customs, Mr. Rodgers. . “The Government,” said Mr. Rodgers, “has aimed at giving Australian and British manufacturers, as well as the commercial community, who hold stocks, and may have on order further stocks, reasonable notice to enable them to acquire stocks and readjust conditions to meet the arrival of German goods on the Australian market.”

Statements that have been made that the German shipping companies will shortly inaugurate a steamship service to Australia are causing great interest in business and official quarters. Very low rates of wages are paid to the officers and men employed, and it is evident that the German lines would be run under conditions against which Britishowned shipping could not possibly compete.

The Prime Minister, when questioned on the matter, declined to make any statement. It is understood, however, that if the line is established the Commonwealth Government will take steps to protect British interests. Extensive powers are possessed by the Commonwealth under the Navigation Act and in other ways. It would not be a difficult matter to inaugurate measures which would enable British and Australian ships to maintain their present position.

CANADA’S BUSINESS GROWING. LARGE IMPORTS OF CHEMICALS. The rapid development of trade between Canada and Germany is illustrated by figures issued by the Department for Trade and Commerce for the 12 months ended September. The total value of the export trade was 8,292,471 dollars, compared with 2,'828,600 dollars in the corresponding period of the previous year, and 55.837 dollars in the 12 months ended September, 1919. On the basis of the figures for the 12 months ended September, Canada’s export trade with Germany in value is rather more than double that of any year before the war. The highest figure in pre-war days was 4.044,019 dollars during the fiscal year ended March, 1914. About 80 per cent, of the exports to Germany are farm products, while metals and their products are the principal contributors to the remainder. In pre-war days the chief feature of the trade between Canada and Germany was the large excess of Canada’s imports; the diverse balance against the Dominion in 1914, 'when merchandise to the value of 14,586,223 dollars was brought in from Germany. Under the conditions obtaining to-day the situation is entirely reversed imports from Germany for the 12 months ended September having a value of only 2,012,281 dollars, leaving a balance in Canada’s favor of 6,280.100 dollars. Imports, however, increased during the 12 months at an even greater rate than exports, the total of 2,012,281 dollars comparing with 586,901 dollars in the corresponding period of 1920.

The principal lines imported from Germany come under the general classification of chemicals and allied products, and of these aniline and coal tar dyes comprise the largest single item, the value of which is placed at 88,030 dollars, whereas during the same period of the previous year not a dollar’s worth was brought in from the former enemy country.

At the recent Canadian National Exhibition there was no exhibit of Bri-tish-made dyes, whereas of the American made description there was an attractive display from which those in charge made a liberal distribution of illustrated booklets showing the results otained from the use of the dyes manufactured by the corporation exhibiting. Canadian dyers are again using German made dyes extensively.