The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 22, 1927. DEVELOPAIENT OF EMPIRE TRADE.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 22, 1927. DEVELOPAIENT OF EMPIRE TRADE.

Further reference was recently made by Air L. S. Amerv, Secretary of State for the Dominions and Colonies, to the tremendous possibilities that lie before an Empire united in its trading activities. After instancing the United States of America as the most prosI porous country in the whole of history. Air Amerv drew attention to the fact that America was only a quarter the size of the British Empire. which possessed many times over nil the resources which America- had. There was nothing in her prosperity to which the British Empire could not attain, but where America had the advantage over us was that she had concentrated upon the development of her resources in a single great national policy, whereas in the Empire there was a different policy for even- part of it. In emphasising the importance of placing the trade of Britain on a sound foundation in order that the standard of living should be raised and not lowered. Afr Amerv said it was no good thinking that the markets of Europe were going to play the part in tb-> trade of Great Britain which they did before the war. Europe was not only impoverished, but as it recovered, its countries were determined to recover for the benefit- of their own indus-

tries. Europe was preserving it- markets jealously for itself, and this country had to look away Iron) the Old World to the New World, u here wo could redress’the balance. It seemed to him folly to waste hundreds of millions a year in buying the manufactures .tin' raw materia!.-, and fundstulls. of peoples whoso deliberate polity it was not to buy hack Iront this country, while we could purchase till those products from the Dominions, who were willing ami anxious to buy from Bri-

tain. As evidence of the progress tii.it has leeii made in the development of inlel-ltnperial trade. Mr Amory mentioned that, whereas before the war. Great Britain purchased only a qttarter of her imports ft out Empire countries. to-day Britain bought one-third while the present sole of goods to the Empire amounted to nearly oiie-luilf. as compared with a little mere than one-third before the war. The Empire market, however, was to-day only a small tiling compared with what ii could become in a few years if only Britain Indued it to develop. We may expect that as a general result of the late Imperial Conference there will be

a marked eo-opera t ive movement througboiil the Empire for the development of trade. Mr Coates, when speaking tit Auckland last weeds emphasised that determination, and something in a way of a concerted and reciprocal policy will ha brought about.