WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1930, Page 3

WELLINGTON NEWS

EMPIRE GOODS

(Special Correspondent,)

WELLINGTON, September 26

The British Government appointed a Preparatory Committee consisting ol representatives of the Association o. British Chambers of Commerce, Federation of British Industries and Chambers of Shipping the United Kingdom to examine into and to report on various commercial matters to be submitted to the Imperial Conference. The Commit tee consisted of ten members under the Chairmanship of Sir Gilbert Vvle, one of the representatives of tile Chambers of Commerce.

Tbe Committee recommends that to secure a common Empire policy ude quate machinery for investigation and consultation is needed. The most immediate problem is, therefore, the creation of such machinery. The Committee is of the opinion that the problem of devising an economical problem should lie studied in a scientific spirit, free from all political bias, and every question affecting inter-imperial trad should be brought under review.

An Empire Development Board Is advocated by Sir Robert Ilad,field, whose memorandum on the subject forms part of the Committee’s report. He said that the-Board should be represent ive of the Empire, and with a fixed organisation and personal in each country.

The Board’s work should; include development on the broadest possible lines. It should devote special attention to the work of expansion by assisting the opening up of new means of transport, railways, tramways, roads, haibours, docks, canals, power plant, the foundation of new industries, opening new districts for farming, controlling forestry, etc. The ultimate control and operation should be in the hands o) the countries concerned.

The Preparatory Committee recommends that in the free discussion and examination of the problems involved representatives of all organised economic interests, including labour, should be intimately associated with the work. The Committee’ believes that the only means of obtaining a substantial growth and efficient rationalisation of Imperial resources, both from the point of view of Inter-Imperial trade and of Imperial world trade, is for the representatives of industry, commerce, shipping and finance in the various parts of the Empire to be fully consulted by their Governments upon quest’o’.is of policy. They themselves .should get into the closest touch possible throughout the Empire with a view to discussing as a matter of business, the most efficient quid profitable organisation of Empire production and development as a whole. With regard to the marketing and distribution of Australian wool, the Committee says: “This matter has formed the subject of a special memorandum drawing attention to the mutual inter-dependence of Australia as the world’s largest producer of fine wool and the United Kingdom as her largest buyer. After referring to the serious adverse factors operating in the woollen trade the memorandum advocates that economies in production, marketing and distribution are necessary to save the industry. It is suggested that the first economy is needed at the source of production, and that is a* local problem for the Australian Government and growers. Reference is made to the difficulty of selling the Australian export at world values and the increasing com petition from artificial silks. Regarding severe losses suffered in recent years by fluctuations in values at consuming centres, attention is drawn to the. “adverse factor arising from the present system of offering 90 per cent, qf the wool clip by auction in Australia, in place of the old system of a series of four to six auctions in the year, and the offering of a large proportion of the clip in London.” More equal distribution is urged “as an indispensable factor in re-establish-ing the position, either by sending more wool to London, where world demand is always available, or by more equal offerings throughout the year at the source of supply. Finance ■ and holding the clip whether by grazier or buyer, is still the pivotal consideration in distribution.” The Committee expresses the opinion that any scheme which would avoid extreme fluctuations in value and help a more reasonable stabilisation of values wouid be most serviceable, and that efforts towards a reduction of costs of production and distribution have become urgent. The work of the Imperial Conference this year will be momentous.