DUTY ON BUTTER

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 73, 23 September 1930, Page 10

DUTY ON BUTTER

CANADA'S ATTITUDE

RETALIATION INEVITABLE

Interesting reference to the feeling in Canada regarding the duty on New Zealand butter was made by Mr. A. M' Nicol, one of the New Zealand dele|gates to the Imperial Press.Conference, : who reached Wellington to-day with Mrs. M'Nicol by the Maunganui from Sydney. Mr. M'Nicol is managing editor of the "Dannevirke Evening News." At the time the New Zealand dele; gates were in Canada Ou their way to the conference, said Mr. M'Nicol, the Mackenzie King Government brought down its Budget • with a tax on New Zealand butter, and those members of the party who represented North Island dairying districts felt impelled to express their views in newspaper interI views and the public speeches they I wore called upon to make. They found a considerable amount of sympathy among the public and the business community, particularly in Vancouver and other cities in the West, ■ where New Zealand butter was a necessity in the winter. The general opinion was that the duty imposed was really the result of political activity on the part of a section of the farmers. Some time before the New Zealand party reached Canada, Mr. M'Nicol continued. Colonel. J. H. Woods, chairman of the Associated Chambers of Commerci of Canada, had visited the United States at the head of a delegation to .protest against the American tariff on the primary products of Canada. Ho had declared that the United States were not treating Canada as a big brother should. Some of the New Zealand delegates pointed out to him that Canada in its imposition of such a scale: of duty upon this country's chief primary product was, in the same manner, not treating New Zealand as became a big _ brother.

A WARNING NOTE.

'' "We pointed out that retaliation must naturally follow - from New Zealand," said Mr. M'Nicol, "and this was feared by exporters of newsprint and; manufacturers of other Canadian products imported by New Zealand. I am pleased to see that Mr. Forbes has emphasised the position, as it was made plain by some of our party. While we were in Canada we felt somewhat diffident, as we were accepting such'unbounded hospitality, in striking a note that affected their internal politics, but we considered that we were in.duty bound to do it in the' interests of this country. The position was so serious that Bonie of us felt we could not hold our tongues about it. The present attitude of retaliatory measures is just what we felt at the time must develop, and for that reason we issued a warning note."

DISARMAMENT POLICY,

The real.yalue of the conference was in the opportunity given of personal contact., with the : executive heads of the newspapers of the Einpiro and of hearing the views of the leaders of the three political parties in England, and the heads of the. different Departments of State. Beferring to the Defence Forces, \Mr. M'Nicol said that, it was impossible not to be impressed by the sincerity of those who ■were carving on the work of the Army and the Navy and endeavouring to' reconcile it with the policy of disarmament. That policy was having particularly unfortunate effect on Portsmouth, where many of the finest naval men in the Empire were suffering from the anxiety of finding some work to do to escape tho dole. The delegates inspected H.M.S. Courageous, one''of the "mother" ships for aircraft, and were tremendously impressed with her power and modern equipment.. At Hendon, before witnessing the great air pageant, at which EIOO was a feature, they heard a striking address by Lord Thomson, Secretary of Sta^e for the Air Ministry, which convinced them that Great Britain was in the .forefront of aviation development.

Mr. .ul'Nicol said that' the delegates highly appreciated the hospitality showered, on them in England, and the genuine desire- to bind the' Empire closer together with personal 'bonds. They also recognised the untiring efforts" of Major J. J. Astor, chairman of the Empire Press Union, who did his utmost for the entertainment and instruction of those attending the conference. The Beaverbrook campaign was going-ahead very strongly while they were in England, and Sir James Pair, whom Mr. M'Nicol saw several times, was confident that the country's industrial forces were rallying to the movement. He also saw Sir Thomas Wilford>. the High Commissioner, who emphasised that since the last Imperial Conference New Zealand's higher status among the nations had resulted in his office being constantly in touch with the Foreign Office,-and', the volume of work had increased very considerably as a result.

Mr. M'Nicol spoke in warm appreciation; of Mr. E. J. Gilmour, who had led the New Zealand party with both tact and ability.