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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 78

Strenuous Competition

Strenuous Competition.

We have been told often enough what Franco and Germany are doing, We know, for example, how in the New Hebrides France enconrages her subjects by subsidie and superior transport facilities, and further assists them by allowing their produce into Noumea practically duty free; and how Germany, by means of subsidies to shipping and colonisation companies in steadily pushing her way into the island trade.

How, first of all, is Australia meeting her competitors? Mr. Deokin, Mr. Reid, and other Australian statesmen have at various times talked vaguely of a "broad policy of dealing with the islands"—these words have been used by Mr. Deakin a dozen times—-but no serious attempt has ever been made by him or any of his predecessors to formulate such a policy, and the heavily protective Federal tariff still applies to British Pacific islandy the same a to foreign countries. And yet—and it does not say much for New Zealand commercial enterprise—though Australia's attitude in regard to the islands is thus actually repellant, she is garnering much more of their trade than New Zealand, with all its advantages. Take Fiji, with which Auckland more than any other city of the southern hemisphere ought to be regarded us geographically en rapport, and what do we find? The figures for 1907 show that the total imports into that colony were valued at £600,000, of which Sydney contributed £450.000, and the total exports were valued at £900,000, of which £275,000 went to Sydney. Now a steamship service with Melbourne is to be established, which will mean still more trade for Australia, and still less for New Zealand. Take Tonga, right at our very doors, whose trade up till a very years ago was almost exelusrvely New Zealand's and here again we find that New Zealand's connection is gradually diminishing, and that more strenuns compitors are now providing the bulk of the requirements of this little island kingdom. Last year Tonga's total imports were valued at £97,820, of which goods to the value of £42,969 were supplied bv New Zealand, £36,670 by Australia (as against £22T000 in 1904 and £32,000 in 1905) and £14,627 by Germany, the last-named figures [unclear: includig] German goods obtained via Samos Even in the Eastern Pacific—even it the Cook and other islands which have [unclear: been] annexed by New Zealand, and whose [unclear: merchants] should be able to hold the field against all- comers-Australia on the one side and Tahiti and America on the other are slowly but steadily making headway.

There never was a grander opportunity for a rapidly-expanding country such [unclear: as] New Zealand undoubtedly is to find a market for its products and mamufacturd has at its own doors, and our merchants have only themselves to blame fur allowing this opportunity to slip.