EMPIRE FREE TRADE

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1930, Page 5

EMPIRE FREE TRADE

LORD BEAVER-BROOK'S PROPOSALS. Press Association.-—By Electric leiegrapn.—^upyngllL.J (Received this day at 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 27. Lord Beaverbrook in a letter to the Morning Post outlines the plan for the first step towards Empire Free Trade, lie says the project begins With a Colonial .ivmpife, that is non-self governing Crown colonies and other dependencies, excluding India and Egypt. Tuev theniselveo constitute a huge Empire almost as large as United States and in resources richer than Mil the colonial empires of the world together. Vv e. propose Britain and these lands should be formed into a free trade empire as soon ns may be. We would then stand on the same looting with our colonial empire as docs France and America. Colonial empire markets open to us would be barred to other nations. By thus giving the Crown colonies and dependencies an assured market- for their raw materials and stabilising the widest possible, area of co-operation, we would increase thendemand for manufactures.

We also propose that any dominions may enter this fruitful union unconditionally, or with such limitations as they desire. Such restitution of membership could carry with it unrestricted free trade between,a Dominion and the whole of the colonial empire and component parts. The colonial empire, while thus obtaining assured markets in the Dominions for their products could not compete with any industry which the Dominions wore anxious to protect.,