Attack On British Trade Policy

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28269, 6 May 1957, Page 9

Attack On British Trade Policy

(Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, May 4.

A report to the Conservative Commonwealth Council in London today criticised some aspects of Britain’s interpretation of protective tariffs in Commonwealth trade. The report was presented by Sir Keith Officer,’ who until his retirement in 1955 served as Australian Minister in Southeast Asia and in the Netherlands, and Ambassador to China and France. The council is composed of members of Right-wing organisations concerned With Commonwealth affairs. It has no executive power but many influential Right-wing members. The report discussed “the future structure of the Commonwealth.” It urged closer economic and financial co-opera-tion within the Commonwealth. It said: “One cannot help feeling that full use is not made for Commonwealth purposes of the purchasing and selling powers of the member nations.

“If the money advanced by Britain to foreign countries, and lost, had been spent in the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth would be much further advanced than it ts today.’’ “Hide-Bound” Policies The report said it was i Austral-an view tnat the 1?< . of co-operation was parti;' hide-bound and traditional pclicies. t The view was that the tion of the General Agreement on f Tariffs and Trade, for ~ ample, had prevent*'-’ -

ciprocal trade agreement between Britain and Australia, and that the Commonwealth might be Better outside it altogether. . “Also, there is a suspicion that Britain’ sometimes subordinates the interests of member nations to those of such countries as the United States, which has recently not reciprocated in a very friendly spirit, and likewise the countries of South America.

“We have only to look at the preference given to American and Balkan tobaccb, Cuban sugar, Argentinian meat and Brazilian coffee to see why Commonwealth countries find it difficult to dispose of their products, when by increasing demand they could be encouraged to increase their output. “Immediate small trading losses would be more than mhde up by long-term benefits. If it were not for American films and American tobacco our dollar position would not be nearly so acute today,” the report said. Referring to the Colombo Plan organisation the report suggested the time was ripe for suggesting a Commonwealth economic and financial secretariat to collate the needs and resources of the members of the organisation.

“Ha logical seat would be Lon-d'-n, but there would be a great advantage if it could be in anotier capital —C< iombo, or m time, Singapore -with merely a branch in London, the report said; 7 “Again, all members/ of the •£n|gpwnwealth who w f

pate in the financing organisation which must be set up to continue the process of economic development when a dependent state achieves full independence within the Commonwealth.

“There are other possible, but minor, changes—the position of the Commonwealth Relations Office for instance. “Has it become obsolete when so much of importance is done direct between Prune Ministers? And is it apt to be regarded by some members as a sign of inferior status?” the report asked.

The report discussed the settlement of disputes between members of the Commonwealth and referred to the Kashmir issue.

It said: "The problem arises whether some machinery should be devised by which disputes between two members might be settled.

The complex nature of the Commonwealth renders thia problem all the more difficult. “With Asia and xXfrica in the picture, complications are likely to arise. In a case very much in point—that of Kashmir—apart

from all other material considerations, basic differences of religious belief, which were tn effect the origin of the partition of India, render reconciliations between the disputing parties almost beyond hope.