searching

Mr Talboys’ soul searching

The position of the Pacific Islands in trading relations with New Zealand was analagous with New Zealand’s position in relation to Japan, the NZ Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Talboys, said in a major policy statement.

He said the best con tribution New Zealand made to the development of the South Pacific lay in granting countries in that region better access to NZ markets.

Such access meant NZ had to make only relatively minor adjustments. NZ had much to gain and little to lose from an increase in the economic prosperity and social well being of the Island nations of the South Pacific. While aid for the Pacific would remain important, the real test for New Zealanders would be in trade.

Agricultural production in the Islands was declining and unemployment was a rising problem. That could be solv ed by developing light indus try. But Islands governments needed the certainty of stable markets and prices.

“What they want from New Zealand is no different from what we want from our major trading partners,” he said.

Mr Warren Hawker (above) has been appointed Second Secretary (Commercial) and Assistant Trade Commissioner at the New Zealand High Commission, Suva Mr Hawker will be closely associated with New Zealand’s Pacific Islands Industrial Development Scheme The scheme is designed to en courage NZ companies to set up manufacturing operations in the Pacific, fostering economic development and the growth of employment opportunities