IMPORT POLICY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 23, 27 July 1939, Page 8

IMPORT POLICY

BRITAIN'S STAND

RESTRICTIONS-AT-HOME

NO RELATIONSHIP

A denial of the suggestion that the import restrictions imposed by the New Zealand Government had any--relationship with the policy of quotas and regulation imposed on overseas exports of primary produce to the United Kingdom was made by the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) in the House of Representatives last night. "I do not think it can be said," he stated., "that there is anything very drastic about the introduction of.import restriction as a matter of Government policy, when we remember that today a very great part of the world is carrying on business on that basis.

"It has been suggested that the restrictions have had something to do with the placing of restrictions in the United Kingdom on the import of primary produce," continued the Minister, "but those . who had read the speech of the present British Minister of Agriculture, Sir Reginald Dorman Smith, at the Empire Producers' Conference at Sydney last year will see in that speech some very important references to this question."

Mr. Sullivan referred ■-to the statement made in the speech that all poti-' tical parties in the United Kingdom! were determined to maintain British agriculture for two reasons—first, as an economic defence against recession in trade, and, second, as a military defence against aggression and that regulation of imports was going to come about. Immediately on his return from the conference, Sir Reginald Dorman Smith was appointed Minister of Agriculture in the British Cabinet. Mr. W. J. Poison (National, Stratford) : He pledged himself to avoid restrictipn. before he left Sydney, if New Zealand agreed to regulation. . I was there. I should know.' Mr. Sullivan: I have read the report in full. Will you dispute its accuracy? Mr. Poison: No, but I am Jelling you what he said before he left Sydney. The Minister went on to say that he agreed that they should look after the primary industries in the same way as thj secondary industries, but when they read statements like that made by the British Minister of Agriculture and then listened to members in this House suggest that the import restrictions in New Zealand had some effect on the restrictions at Home, it was obviously inconsistent and irreconcilable with the course of events. The Minister said that the relationship between the Dominion and the United Kingdom had been most friendly. There had been no difficulties, nc strains, and no misunderstandings in any direction, and the New Zealanc Government had recognised its obliga tions to the United Kingdom for the markets that had been provided anc for the assistance it had received, anc had shaped its policy to place as manj orders as possible with the Unitec Kingdom manufacturers. '"The Gov i eminent has gone out of its way n : ensure continuation of those friendlj ■ relations," said the Minister. ; ' PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY? I Mr. F. W. Doidge C rational, Tau . ranga): Are the restrictions permanen ] or temporary? • » The Minister. The Government ha! i not committed itself, but it has com • mitted itself definitely to sustaining : New Zealand industries, whether it i 1 by means of restrictions or whethe 3, by some other means. The Prime Mir • ister has said that our methods ma; *!change but our objective never.: W. s j are going to develop local industrj we can do it honourably untie ?! the agreement we have made. We wil f as far as we can. increase the percen | a^e of business done with the Unite 1 Kingdom* anfl though the nature of th imports may change, this Govemmeii '• wil" continue to steer into the Unite Kdngdom as much trade as it possibl can. Mr. Doidge: The Prime Minister an the Minister of Finance are not say in „ one and the same thing, f The Minister: There is no differenc ,' of opinion between the Ministers r< I garding our outlook, and that is cor • sistent with the obligations entered int + with the manufacturers to do the ver utmost for the United Kingdom.