OUR TRADE WITH NEW ZEALAND.
[To THE EDITOR 07 THE " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—During my trip round the world I spent some time in New Zealand, and should like to bring several matters .before your notice, feeling sure you will be interested and take some steps to make the matter public.
(1) The people of New Zealand are prepared to buy every- thing from England, even at a cost of, say, 20 per cent. more than American supplies. They complain very bitterly that orders sent to England are either turned down or delivered after about three years. American firms are trying their best to get all the New Zealand markets, and turning down home orders and giving preference to orders from abroad. They realize that once they get the markets they stand a better chance of keeping them. When our firms have supplied their home orders and look round, especially to New Zealand, they will find that the people out there are embittered through lack of attention and America is favoured. I certainly think that a. certain percentage of our output should be marked for our own colonies. I went into one large store, and the manager there told me that 75 per cent. of their stock was American. Pre-war the price of British goods would be 20 per cent. more than American, but owing to the difference in exchange English and American prices are now the same. He would prefer 75 per cent. British and only 25 per cent. American, even if he had to pay higher prices for British goods. Whilst I was there a consignment of spades and forks had just arrived from Sheffield, and they had been on order above three years. There is a market for motor-cars and all kinds of hardware goods; in fact, all the trade of New Zealand can be picked up by England.
(2) Our Propaganda Department also should more carefully consider our colonies. Almost every picture palace shows American Topical Pictures. The rising generation see only what is being done in America, and they are educated to believe that everything up to date must come from America.
(3) I tried all the stationers' shops in the principal places to get a map of England, but could not get one anywhere. This should be seen to, and if there is no demand for them England had better send them out and give them away. One shop in Wellington admitted that they had turned down a lot of inquiries for maps of England as they could not get them. I told them there should be no difficulty about getting maps, as I felt quite certain that both Bacon and Philip would be able to supply at once. If you can do anything to bring these points before our Chambers of Commerce and the Propaganda Department I think you will be doing good work.
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