APPEAL BY LORDS

Chronicle (Levin), 5 November 1949, Page 5

APPEAL BY LORDS

( N.Z.P.A. -

-Reuter.

Help From Empire To Help Britain

Copyright)

Received Friday 8.50 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 4. Varicus suggestioas are being made in Britain at the present time that some kind of Empire Uonier.ence should be held to ex- . amine ways of helping to solve Britain 's economic difticulties. So far they have drawn no repiy from the Government. The latest were heard in the Lords during the debate on the Government's economies. Lord Teviot, for instance^ declared that Britain seemed to be getting deeper and deeper into economic distress, and she should now have ' ' a family party of all the component parts of theEmpire" to evolve some pian by which they could "get together." Such a eon ference, he said, should be attended by all parties to produce a plan "even if we have to tighten our belts." Lord Balfour, of Inehyre, in the same debate said Britain should use her special position as a political centre of the i Commonwealth and the flnancial centre of the sterling area to create a new system of reeiprocal multi-lateral trade. There should be a bold policy of Empire development, looking within the Empire for Britain 's raw material needs and away from Ihe hard currency countries. The alternative to striving for a solution of her difficulties which rested on dollar dependenee was in the stimu- , lation of Commonwealth trade. There should be a colonial Empire development, an invitation to her own ' partners to expand the scope hnd measure of imperial preference. and they should get away from the most favoured • nation treaties. Empire trade was not . in conflict with, but stimulated, gene- ] ral world trade. |