EMPIRE AFFAIRS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 April 1925, Page 2

EMPIRE AFFAIRS

iCSTHALIAN AND N Z. CABZK ASSOCIATION TARIFF QUESTION. LONDON, April I. Professor William A. S. llewins, formerly .Secretary of the la riff Commission. and a ’leading- authority- on economics, who is commenting on the proposed change from the South Airiyan policy of Imperial preference says: “’lbis movement is hound to spread. _ Our exports of manufactured goods to foreign countries have decreased last year, hut our Empire Trade has far more than set oil that decrease. \\ ithoul the Umpire, we would he nowhere.” He stated that lie understood that twenty-six countries had applied to Australia for reciprocity. I lie Dominions were also negotiating among themselves. lie continued: " Wo tire back to the movement that was developing beiore Rill, after which there was a cheek. Britain is at present showing no disposition to join in. Therefore, this movement away from, imperial preferenro towards general reciprocity will extend.” Professor liewios expressed the opinion that the gravity of the position for Britain cannot he over-estimated. PRESS COMMENTS. LONDON, April 1. The menace to Empire trade involved in South Africa's reported pending decision is again receiving prominence' in the morning papers, ;unl questions are being framed in Parliament. 1 1 is pointed out that South Africa can not expect t o share in the Brit ish million marketing grant if she proposes to carry out a policy which would not only be anti-imperial, hut pro-for-eign. The ‘‘Morning Post” says: “I he present South African ■ preference on British goods is substantial, and it often makes the iliflereuee between keeping and losing a contract. African trade is of vast importance. H South Africa alters her policy, we undoubtedlv will lose heavily. We hope that change will he averted, hut we arc hound to say that a country with so vacillating, and at times so shortsighted, a fiscal policy such as ours can hardly expect to keep Imperial preference.”

FINANCIERS' OUTLOOK. LONDON. April 1. The British Overseas Banks’ Association. with 35 members, namely, hanks whose aggregate paid up capital total* over tSti.l 100.000. held their annual dinner at the Hyde Bark Hotel, when ihen- was a large attendance, including Sir .lames Allen and the lion. M. IVmher Reeves. Mr Ormshv Gove (fouler Secretary of State for the Colonies) raid: “Ao in Britain, are more and more realising that, however important foreign trade might be, the real solution of many of our problems depends almost entirely on the development ot the Empire. In this work, the Dominions anii the colonial hanks are hound to take an ever-increasing share, and tesprnsibility. The problem of our generation is one of not merely increasing the total value of production throughcut the Empire, hut also of how to apply the savings and credit of the more developed portions of the Empire to the development id the less-developed portions. The problem td Australian development is not merely one n| micro! ion. It is also a problem of finance. Happily the signs are most encouraging in the dominions, anil the protectorates generally, hut I must sa\ that I have seen signs of a lack ol enterprise in East Al'ri.-a. where 1 found the Germans anil -lapanese are hack again pushing ahead n| the British linns.” Sir Robert Horne said that lie had (1,,, if,lihcfnK' opinion that we voir in a wot e |”> at ion I" day lhat tie wore *ix mouths ago. when it was bad enough. !f they iookcil at the staple trades they could not h.elo feeling anxiety and apprehension. There.was no hope, unless every section of the community combined, in order to imd a solution. Mr Herbert Humbling said that the position was had. but it was not quite so hail as Sir Robert llorne apparently t bought.

LONG TF.RM CREDITS. OTTAWA. March 31. After investigat.oiu of the matter lor two years, on heliali o! the federal (lovcrnment. Dr Tory. President ol the l'n i versify of Alberta, recommends that long term credits should he provided at moderate rates of interest lor the development of agriculture in Canada. and i,lie heat system would he one based on io-operation between the federal and Provincial Governments. Dr Tory li mis that an "immediate improvement in the methods ol agriculture and financing are needed, il ( anada is to maintain her place in the ; world of agriculture.” EMPIRE WIRELESS. SIR A. MOND'S REMARKS. LONDON. April 1. In his-remarks on wireless. Sir A. Moud added that if wireless were to develop the Post Office must cease treating it as a subordinate service. Attempts so far to inspire the Post Di-li,-e with enthusiasm had fallen on slony ground. The principal Dominions wore' negotiating with the Marconi Company". While Britain had the Govornment win-less, there was no ctuiespondiug State wireless in Canada or Auslrnlia. He expressed the opinion that it would he better for the P" s ' Office either to get out of the wireless business altogether, or treat it as one of the biggest inter-! niporial services. Sir .T. Donah! said it would hi- decided within the next six months whether Britain would continue any of the high power stations, except for naval am strategic purposes.