BRITISH TRADE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 146, 15 March 1919, Page 7

BRITISH TRADE

THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY BUILDING UP INDUSTRIES DAMAGED BY WAR ] By Telesrraph-I'rcfis Aesooiatioii-CopyriEbt London, March 12. £ In the House of Commons, in tho coip'so of his' reply to Sir Donald Maclean's demand {or a. statement of the | Board of Trade's policy, Sir Auckland Ged-Jes (Minister of lloconstrnction) said f tho Government meant to tackle tho , whole problem of imports, exports, reexports, dispersal of stocks of raw material. and building up the industries damaged' by tho war. International | trade should bo stimulated, and public | works would be linked with the colonial j policy, those offering a wide range of j employment, to a large number of trades j to receive'iirst consideration. ] In' Hie discussion which followed tho j advocates of Free Trade vigorously as- | fiaik'd the proposals, declaring thut they j would create new. vested interest:. Other | cri'.ics protested that Sir Auckland : (iedtles's statement left the country in , t'.in 'darlc hs to whether the Government . proposed to i'evei't to free imports, or continue prohibition, or adopt tariffs. | The statement' meant that the Govern- | went required half a year to consider j lh.'. matter. , Mr. W. C. Bridgcmen (Under-Secretary , to tho,Hoard of Trade), in replying, said | Ikat there-was :UO absolute evidence that l any of: tho Allies were getting orders for 'which-. Britain was unablo to compete , owi:ig to restrictions. Tho Government was carefully watching, and reprcscnta- | tions would be ntado to foreign countries. ( If tbo suggestions were true, ho promis- . el to lift restrictions as eoou as pos- : sihle.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Atsn. ( - I