The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) TUESDAY, DEC. 11th, 1923. EMPIRE CO-OPERATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 December 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) TUESDAY, DEC. 11th, 1923. EMPIRE CO-OPERATION.

Ai.TIiOUCII the British oiec-tious Just, week worn Int:il to a fiscal policy ot proforem e to t.lu.* oversea dominions, it (Jro*> not follow that all avenues to improved trading lelutiou.s hot wee u the Mothurl and ami the colonies are (exhausted. 1 lie Imja'iial Conference (Inhaled tin* matter from many points of view, the visiting i Verniers all being anxious lor nonio trade improvenieiit wlien*liy moro favoraliie and certainly more assured conditions might lie established. There is no doubt that at far as the interests ot the overseas portions of the Empjie were concerned, it was a. mistake to hasten a general election just prior to the British Empire Exhibition. Had the Empire products been first displayed and the public mind o[ the Homeland thereby informed to better advantage, there would have been a. very practical demonstration for some line of political action whereby Empire co-operation could have been brought about. Of oourso the fear m regard to preference to the colonies was that the cost of living at Home would be increased as an individual levy to belli foster trade within the Emigre. A returned visitor to Sydney, Mr Alex Hay, summed up the position thus: “It will be very difficult to convince Great Britain, especially the middle mid working classes, to abandon their free-trade prejudices, and the industrial classes consider the cost of living first and employment afterwards. The latter may be uncertain, but it is the belief that preference, which may !>e used for adjustments, would permanently increase the cost of the necessities of life, whether there was employment or not.” "1 he result of the elections shows this opinion to be right. I’lefarenee through a tariff has lx-en put back once again indefinitely—just as it was twenty years ago under Mr Joseph Chamberlain's tariff reform proposals. Mr Hay, whom we have just quoted, however, went on to discuss Hie matter of preference in another d : - reetion and indicated a channel by which it would be possible to reach the objective in mind in the end. He said : "It .seerns that the only way to obtain preference in the British markets, which after all are the host markets, is a general organisation of Empire products. I believe that the only way is by the British and dominion Governments subsidising transport by land and sea. in order that our products may obtain a preference. This could have lieen agreed to without an appeal to the electors. Our products must lx* landed at the points of consumption, whether British or dominion, at a cost at least as low as any other country but these goods must he the host, ns inferior products can never he given a preference. I believe also that the time has come when the whole of the dominion products must be organised. For this purpose tn Empire co-opera-tive organisation, for marketing should bo formed, with at least one pr two

hundred million; ri capita] behind it. Ibis should be sufficient to handle £1,000.000,000 of products. It should be so organised as to eliminate all waste and the hordes of middlemen Iliac exist to-day, using only the acknowledged am! principal channels of distribution. Each industry should lie represented in promoting its own enterprises, free ftom Goveriiient interference. The war cost Gioat Britain nine thousand millions sterling, in addition to the expenditure of the dominions’. A loan of £2(10,000.000 at 1} per went,.. free of taxation, and guaranteed by the Empire and dominion Governments, would he icadily available to bring the producer and consumer closer fj together. Waste would be eliminated, ami the enormous benefits that would be do lived would more than cover all the outgoings created liy subsidising transport. One hears much of the phrases men, noney and markets. The gieat Xanoleoll said 1o bis nHirers after one of his victories, ’We have yet greater deeds before us. We want ships, cnlur.icn. and eommetce. Ail wo require is organisation. We have all the elements required. togetlier with a security within and from without. Surely our people and statesmen can formulate a scheme to ensure I In* stability : ml prosperity of the Empire.” This is 11 sane exposition of Empire eo-opcraiion which is not without the possibility cl realisation. A subsidy for transport is r reasonable means of helping. Ike various countries are spending large sums seeking to speed up mail •lebrir i..i lit a. few hours. It would le el

greater economic value to see a sensible portion of that expenditure diverted in subsidies for improved transport

to get our surplus coniinodities overseas to tile best markets. Action along that line would be of great benefit nationally and individually to the great army of producers.