DOMINION’S FREETRADE INQUIRY

Evening Star, Issue 21746, 14 June 1934, Page 7

DOMINION’S FREETRADE INQUIRY

CONSEQUENCES OF HOME ATTITUDE APPEAL FOR SUPPORT AGAINST THE FOREIGNER LONDON, May 11. The deflate in the House of Commons on May 7 on the inquiry of the New Zealand Government regarding amutual Free trade agreement between Britain and the dominion was disappointing to those who are genuinely interested in the furtherance of Empire trade relation?. It was disappointing largely because the discussion, opened by the Liberals under Sir Herbert Samuel, developed into a polemical argument on Protection, . Frect-racle, foreign agreements, and the restriction of production, whereas the real issue underlying the intergovernmental correspondence—namely, the position in the British market of the home, dominion, and foreign producers respectively and of the British manufacture! in tlie New Zealand market—was generally overlooked. ' While Mr Thomas was right in saying that the Dominion Government’s intimation was not an otter, but an inquiry made on behalf of a “ section of the people.” his reply does not seem to have altogether satisfied M.P.s on cither side of the House, and a part at least of the Press remains frankly critical. Mr L. S. Amery summed up what is a fairly widespread opinion when lie said that “ the New Zealand Government would not have dreamed of associating itself with the inquiry had it not been prepared to take it up seriously.” Mr Thomas is to state ms case again and answer questions at a forthcoming meeting of the 1922 Committee. which has a membership ot 400 Conservative M P-s. * Meanwhile, though the ” troetrauo issue has petered out. the Press and public generally seem to be deeply interested in tlie further development, rather than the restriction, of trade with the dominions generally and New Zealand in particular. A great deal will therefore depend on the New Zealand Government’s attitude towards the proposed reduction of tariffs on British goods when it assembles to consider the Tariff Commission’s report at the end of June, The New Zealand Governments Freetrade ‘’gesture” or ■“ inquiry was. indeed, well worth white, and should it extend real trade advantages to Britain after its revision of tariffs it will be difficult for . the Imperial Govornment to, ask New Zealand in upturn drastically to curtail her dairy exports when The Ottawa agreements expire in June, 1935. CASE AGAINST A QUOTA. There are many other considerations against- Empire restriction which are continually being brought before Government representatives and through the Press to the public by those who are interested in Die dominions welthe publication of then letters to the Press, both Sir Archibald Weigall and Mr George G. Mitcheson, M.pT, contributed useful articles to periodicals in which • they .effectively stated the dominion’s case against the quota— Mr Mitcheson in Milk Industry ’ and Sir Archibald W oigall in the ‘ Empire Review.’ . ■ . . ■ Mr Mitcheson pointed out that i"c import duties, introduced m 19.il io belo the. dominions to secure a largci share in the British market have not, had the result of restricting foreign imports. These, on the contrary.. have risen from 4.070,031 cwt to 4,D/.Solent in the intervening two years, and they are now increasing at an even greater ,-ate This unforeseen increase m imports is, as he pointed out the real cause of the present glut on the market —a thing which is only now being realised, even by members of the GOr ' 6 A * nuinber of M.P.s supporting the Government— notably Mr Amery—are becoming frankly critical of the uneconomic working of the trade agreements, which Britain has lately contracted with foreign countries, frequently at the expense of Home and Empire primary producers. The Conservative Par lamentaiy Agricultural Committee was deeply concerned at the evidence submitted to it the other day by Mr Dynes Fulton and Mr H. E. Davis, respectively deputychairman and London manager of the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board, evidence which indicated the extent to which Denmark and Holland subsidise the butter they export to this country. The committee’s statement to tie Press received wide publicity, and the ■matter has since been brought by bu Percy Hurd before Dr Burgm. secretary to tire Board of Trade, with a request that the Government should take measures to protect the interests, of Home and dominion, producers against competition of this kind. THE SHIPPING STANDPOINT. Shipping interests have not yet expressed their opinion on the proposal to restrict Empire production though a. strong protest may be expected from them should the Government announce any definite plan. The Waiwera, the Shaw. Savill Company’s new 12,-000-ton cargo liner, and the second or the ten new ships to be completed for the dominion food trade, was launched the other day at Belfast. As Mr I. E . Be > beek, chairman of Harland and Wolfit Ltd., the builders, remarked: Jhe completion of this ship marks a turning point in Belfast’s depressed shipping ind,The New Zealand Dairy Produce Board’s sales campaign in Birmingham and Wolverhampton is now nearing h* end and a general poster and display campaign has meanwhile been opened im London! the Transport Board’s omnibuses being used as air effective instrument for advertisement. In the grocers competition, in Birmingham there wore 350, entries, and .160 in the Wolverhampton competition—gratifying totals in both cases. Tig? board will shortb turn its activities northward by launching a concentrated sales campaign m Glasgow—a port whose value to the dominion’s trade is rapidly increasing.