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Hokitika Guardian, 19 March 1931, Page 4

limo prominence given, to British trade with the Aigcatiue is one of the main drawbacks to Fmpire preference in a British lurid’. British traders are strongly entrenched in tip. Argentine, a fact u ell evident cd h.v the very large exhibition now in progress, age! making an extraordinary bid for big business

so much so that both American and German interests are awaking to the position of Great Britain establishing herself more than ever as a leading trading rival. In addition there is a very large amount of British capital ill the Argentine rnthways. which constitute something of a net-work for serving the back country, and have a very large contributing factor in the promotion of business intercourse Glith Bri /.,in. These a)re lull telling in the balance against the demand for an Empire preference, however influential may be the organisations pro. moting a protection policy to serve all parts of the Empire in preferential trade between Britain and the Colonics. The position is therefore a difficult one, and is a clue to the divergent opinion in the Home Parliament on the subject. When the Imperial Conference resumes in Canada later in the year, something will no doubt he attempted regarding the initiation of preference, but there will always he the hurdle of the rival trade from Argentine to hear in mind. If the great exhibition now in progress is the success anticipated, the Argentine must become a more formidable factor still, for with the greater trading relations developed the intimacy will he more cemented than ever. It is conceivable that the late London Conference at which the Prime Ministers of the oveasea dominions were present, deferred the whole question in the light of the exhibition, and did not desire to take- any stress which might affect British trade outside the Emni-e till the effect of the hid for trade in Argentine was fully realised.