EXTRAORDINARY STATEMENT

Chronicle (Levin), 11 December 1947, Page 7

EXTRAORDINARY STATEMENT

P ress Association )

MR. NASH TAKEN TO TASK

(Per 1

WELLJ.N GTON', Dec. 10. "The extraordinarv statements by the Minister of Finance, Mr. Nasli, which were cabled from New York last Saturday, not having been -contradicted, must be taken as correetly reported,'said the president of the Associated Chambers of 'Commerce of New Zealand, Mr. llaskell Andersoii, when ad dressing the .Masterton Cliamber of Commerce tonight. "Oue statement by Mr. Nash was that once. the balaiue of payments system has beon accepted, as in tlit proposed international trade eharter, New Zealand will give up the taiiif preferenees it extenus to Britain. ' ' This is an amazing statement not only because it announces the willingness°of the New Zealand Government . to throw away the keystone on whicli trade between New Zealand and the United Kingdom depends hut also be cause our Minister of Customs leaves it until he arrives in another country to make the epoch making declaration which the New Zealand Parliament has neither autnorised nor been given the opporunity to discuss. •'What autnority has Mr. j>jasn to abandon New Zealand's preference to JBritish goods and what compensating advantages, if any, does he expect to get in its place? New Zealand will view with the greatest concern any disturbance of Imperial preference what soever without concrete trade com pensation from other countries at leasi equal . to what is sacrificed by New Zealand. ' 'Mr. Nash should be so instructed forthwith by cable by the New Zealand Government. "That Mr. Nash is prepared to aban don Imperial preference without specifk compensation, is an entirely new development and one not in accord witl assurances that have been given thf people of New Zealand. "in the Ilouse of Representatives os Xovember .11, Mr. Nasli denied that the general syslem of Imperial preference^ had been impaired at Geneva and lu aftinned as oue of the seven imperativc principles to govern the attitude of the New Zealand delegation at Bavana. that there was to be a reduction . )i preferenees on a quid pro quo basis only and not on a general unqualiliec basis. It seems unnecessary to reniind Alr. Nash of that. "Other statements by Mr. Nash were that excluinge control cannot be exereised without New Zealand's present system of import control and that il New Zealand lifted import licensing it would be without currency reserves in a short tinie. It Is regrettable that Mr. Nash allows his policy to coloui the fac.ts. Exelnuige control could bt operated and has been operated lien in the past, detailed itnport selectioc beiug all that is necessary. Of courye excluinge control limits imports in total but the detailed prohibition oi allowance of specilic imports is a policy praclice which the New ZealaiuJ poveruiuent has devidoped for totaliy jjifl'erent reasons which have as mucli jrelation to exehange control as chalk to ^.dieese. Other countries know that per•f'ectiy well and the United States> and fOanada denounced the New Zealand ^'praeti'-e at Oeneva in June as dis icriuiiuatory and restrictivc. | "It is regrettable that Mr, Nash is hagain stirring up trouble with other 'nations by trying to defexid, ou fal lacious grounds, an indef ensible - prac tice. ■ , , . , .. . . .... . " As to .Mr. Nasli 's claim that i'. New Zealand lifted import licensing ir would lio without currency reserves in a short timo, we positively disproved this with Mr. Nash .just prior to iiis departure for Havana, as far yis iiu portations from the Uuited Ivingdoui are coneerned. We produced comdusi ve evidenee from banking and othe.f authorities in Anstralia to show that Australia's release of all import eontrols on United Kingdom goods had noi blown the lid ol'f Anstralia s currencv reserves because of the sinqde fact tliai Ihe Uuited Kingdom is unable to supply goods to that extent. Yet Mr. Nasi; will not abolish his restrictions on 1 nited Kingdom' goods coming into llii.> country. "It seems Mr. Nash would lo better

eleaning out his augean stable iiistead of misstuting New Zealand's alT'airs t ti an international assembly which linows di ITerently, anyway. ' '