London Press Version Of Anglo-Eire Trade Relations

Grey River Argus, 6 September 1948, Page 5

London Press Version Of Anglo-Eire Trade Relations

45 LONDON, Sept. 1 Reviewing the record or the c,osteilo Government, since it displaced Mr de Valera’s administration in Eire seven months ago, the Dublin correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says: So far the prophets who predicted that industrial and agricultural collapse would follow Mr de Valera’s defeat have been confounded. Mr Costellos masterstroke has been a pew trade agerement with Britain, which has achieved a stable and guaranteed market for the Irish farmer for the next four years. This has consolidated Mr Costello’s leadership and has made it virtually certain that he will row last the full term of five years. The agreement has not solved Eires domestic difficulties, particularly over shortage of farm labour and of animal feed. Mechanisation may be one of the solutions to the problem of labour, but so far too many Irish farmers show themselves reluctant to undertake the capital investment involved. Commenting on British-Irish rela tions since the advent of the Costello Government, the correspondent says. “Never before has there been such a show of friendship between Ireland and Britain. Much of it is genuine and the rest is encouraged by hopes of commercial success. A red carpet in almost continuous use at. the -Du ?er downwSds. English tourists are over-running every townand hamlet j hofnrp the year is ended, i,uuu,uuu BHtom will have made friends with Trish men and women and will have Eft no less than £30,000,000 in Irish Shops That sum takes no account of whit has been spent in hotels. It. is wealth beyond the dreams of the Irish. TrSiically, the British are paying these millions here for goods made in Britain, and the Irishman is supermelv happy because of handsome profits coming to him with so little effort.