Empire Trade.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1921, Page 3

Empire Trade.

A TRADERS’ GATHERING. AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION LONDON, July 14. Lord Sydenham, presiding at an Empire Producers’ Association luncheon to Mr Massey said that no Dominion was more devoted to Imperial unity than New- Zealand. He hoped Mr Massey would not find the terms of the manr elate for Samoa, which he was called upon to administer, to be intolerable, ' speaking frankly he feared he would. Lord Sydenham welcomed Mr Massey as “one of 'the strong fellows of the Empire.” Mr Massey, replying, advocated <>• adoption of a well thought out policy of Empire preference, which would encourage production, anti bring waste places under their own flag. It was equally necessary that Britain should recover its old position as a. creditor nation. Mr Massey suggested the Em- , pire Producers’ Association should adopt as a slogan, “British goods for British citizens; British citizens for British goods.” He said the stieep statistics of the world for the past ten years showed a decline of 20 per cent, thus foreshadowing that the wool supply u'ould not then meet the demand. The same conclusion applied to the mutton supply. Tims the producers might expect higher prices in the near future. Referring to the chairman’s allusion to the mandates Mr Massey said New Zealand intended to do its duty by the Samoans and accord them treatment similar to that enjoyed by the Maori population in New Zealand. He hoped President Harding’s conference would be thoroughly successful, but emphasised the fact that th e British Empire’s very existence was based on sea power. He declared; “MV cannot allow ourselves to live on the sufferance of any other nation.” The British navy must he second to none in the world. Nevertheless, he would welcome any arrangement between tin* Great Powers that would not endanger the safety of tho Empire. Mr Massey stated the Imperial. Conference had decided on the establishment of an Empire wireless chain.