GENEVA TRADE TALKS

Chronicle (Levin), 26 May 1947, Page 5

GENEVA TRADE TALKS

Press Assri

(BpeciaJ Cofrespondent) .

i ' , - fflr. Nash Is Cauliously

By Telegtdph

.-Copyright

Received Sunday, S.5U p.rii. LONDON, May 24. Though Hon. "Walter Nash 011 his arrival in London found hiriiself abie only to generalise on the progress of the trade talks at Geiieva he w ds 'ptain lv of opiiiiori that the rbpbrtS^ from America tliat the outiobk ibf tlie 'Crin ference is black aiid tliat it may "brdak down over tile wool questiori were too pessiniistic. "The question of the Ameiican Woo. tariff is being giveri a lot of considerauiori," he admitted, ''and there is Uo vhange from the positioii tliat has been . eporied. But there is pJ.en.ty of good will at Geneva and both the United States arid the Lnited Kingdom are going a long way to get the ofgani'sa.1011 going. ' ALr. Xasli did not deny that this wooi tariff question was serious, _ for he said: •'With the exceptidn of the wooJ dis eussions Ihe relations that the New ZJa land deiegation had with the oth'ei nations afe good," and he went on: •there riill be some bargaining in rdspect of tariffs, but generally . speaking ihe atniosphere is good." But oue coiild gathor from his cautious maniier that tie beiieves that there is Still a lot more talking to be done about vyool. Speaking generally aoout the confer euce Alr. Nash thought the way shoultl be left open for the Soviet to come in even , though its represeiitatives . were eot there al present. He also indicated ohat the courerence niigiit have to con sider propijsals additional to tariffs and mbsidies to proinote trade deveJopuieiit. 'The under diiveioped countries must be helped if disaster is to be avoided, " mi continaed. ''Production to the maximuiii is required ev ery where. A11 effective demand must be maintained and expanded or else production may cause us trou'ble as it did in the past when people were- hungry though there was an abundance of food in the world. Tlie resources are there. What is required is production plus an effTctive demand and fair distributiori. " Alr. Nash spent his first day in Lolidon in a series of eonferences. He discus.sed supplies with Sir Stafford Cripps and of this talk he said: "1 am satislied tlie Pnited Kingdom is doing everything it can to help us. " He discussed imports into Britain of grass seed with Alr. Williams, Alinister of Agrieuliure, and indicated that the position was complicated. He Lalked 011 the subject of Jouble taxation with' Mr. Dalton and added: "I hope to be able to sign an agreement on taxation before 1 leave .oi Xew Zealand 011 the 28th. " Alr. Nash is also dismi.sing supplies of jute to Xew Zealand while he is here. He added that while in Geneva he talk ed with the ludian Alinister on tlie sub jeet. "There is a woyjd sliortage ot .jute," Mr. Nash said, "but *1 hope, that we shall be able to get some supplies al a .reiisonably early date. " Alr. Nash experts to have a further talk with other British Oabinet Alinisters and he proposes visiting Margate during the weekend prior to the Labour PartV Conference.