CATTLE FOR COAL

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 85, 4 January 1935, Page 9

CATTLE FOR COAL

Britain and Irish Free State NEWSPAPER REPORT Additional £1,000,000 a Year For Coal Industry SECRET NEGOTIATIONS By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. (Received January 3, 9.55 p.m.) London, January 3. The “Daily Telegraph’s” political corrrespondent says that secret negotiations between Britain and Hie Irish Free State have resulted in an important trade agreement, the Free State undertaking to purchase the whole of her coal from Britain, which, in return, agrees to additional imports of Irish cattle. British coal thus gainsi an extra £1,000,000 worth of sales a year. • Mr. J. 11. Thomas, Dominions Secretary, Air. AV alter Runciman, President o£ the Board of Trade, Air. Elliot, Mins ister of Agriculture, and Air. J. AV. Dulaity, Free State High Commissioner in London, negotiated the agreement. The scheme roughly means that for every pound sterling the Free State spends on coal over and above its present imports Britain will spend an equivalent amount on cattle, the Free State refraining from renewing its present contracts with German and Polish coal exporters.

It is expected that Britain will take 150,000 head of cattle in excess of the present quota allocation and that these cattle will not be liable to the special duty imposed in respect of the default in the payment of land annuities.

The “Financial News” says that the cattle and coal' agreement between the Free State and Britain will not.be oliieially announced until the current negotiations with the Dominions in reference to the restriction of beef exports are completed.