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Hokitika Guardian, 25 November 1930, Page 4

The failure of the Imperial 'Conference to accept the wish of the Dominion representatives with regard to Empire preference, is being greatly canvassed by the press at Home and abroad, lit cannot be claimed that tho important meeting fulfilled expedtativms. Ills iv‘gsi|livo character was chiefly due, remarks an exchange, to the reluctance of the British authorities even to consider tho Dominion proposals seriously. One solemn and pontifical sentence*—“the interests of the United Kingdom preclude an economic policy which would ■ injure its foreign trade"—-was enough to show that Britain has not yet realised the importance of her colonial markets or the value of Dominion trade! either actually or potentially. Happily, at the last moment, the persistence of the Dominion delegatee, and the natural desire of everybody concerned to “carry on” fill some definite conclusion was reached, broke down flic deadlock. Mr Scull in is credited with having, contributed to the debate “a dramatic and telling speech” which is said to have produced a. distinct effect noon even the dour and implacable Chancellor of the Exchequer; and in the end Mr Snowden gave way to the importunities of his critics to the extent of agreeing to maintain the existing preferences for Dominion products for a further term of three reaps. However, the Dominions ha> r e not lost all hope of definite progress yet. Within the next year an Imperial JHconomic Conference is t,o sit at Ottawa, and there is some ground for the belief that, by that time, either the views of the British Government will have been materially modified or that- the whole political situation will bo charmed. Naturally, Mr MacDonald’s political opponents are inakiug the most and the worst of the opportunities afforded by the failure of the Conference. Sir H. Page Croft, a mast enthusiastic tariff Reformer, told the House of Commons on Monday that the Conservatives are unanimously in favour of Imperial Preference and he hinted broadlv that, by the time the Ottawa Conference met, his party might he in office, “with a mandate to save the Empire from the threatened disruption.” Tt is unfortunate that so much bitterness ha? been introduced Into the fiscal controversy at Home. But we “colon inlis” may congratulate ourselves thn Poih Mr Scull in and Mr Forbes r»-o-duccd a most favourable impression in ’London, and that them comment on the situation, anrl particularly on the failure of the Conference, have been marked by troerl sense and good taste to an extent that ought to disarm even Cobdenite criticism.