FOREIGN-MADE GOODS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 6 March 1913, Page 4

FOREIGN-MADE GOODS

A correspondent, in a letter in this issue, draws pointed attention to the. fact that, while we in New Zealand have provided a Dreadnought for the British Navy, we are indirectly contributing to the German Navy by purchasing German goods. We' have looked up the Official Year-book, and we find that in tho year 1911 goods to the value of £480,617 were imported fronr Germany, of which £272,454 worth was admitted free. The major sum represents interest at 5 per cent, on nearly £10,000,000, which would provide about five warships of the type of the New Zealand Dreadnought. The position so far as the United States is concerned is even worse.. From that country we imported, in 1911, goods to the value of £1,682,129. A strong commentary upon our boasted patriotism is that the imports of German goods have increased by fully 30 per cent, since 1901, the year on which we-placed a surtax upon foreign goods. /It that the people of this Dominion gave this matter serious thought. Are we doing justice by ourselves and the Empire in trading largely with foreign countries?