BRITISH POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 April 1931, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

TARIFF POLICY. CABINET’S INTENTIONS. (United Prttes Asaociation—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). LONDON, April 6. The “Daily Herald” says Cabinet immediately after Easter, will decide whether to fix the quota of fifteen per cent Of British flour in every loaf, and thus absorb all the milled wheat available from British farms.. A hint that the Economic Advisory Council had advised the Government to impose a tariff was given by * members of the Cabinet, Mr A. V. Alexander, when addressing the co-op-erative party at Blackpool. Alluding to Australia as an instance of the incapacity of a Protectionist country' to protect the workers, Mr Alexander said: “Summing up the \fisaal issue and taking the present standard lof living, wages must come down. If you dare not face the industrial consequences of such a policy, you can do do it by applying a tariff on the goods the workers consume.” Interviewed subsequently, Mr Alexander denied intending to convey the idea that the Council had presented reports. He was merely quoting the widespread feeling of economists and industrialists. “Reynolds News,” however, states that the Government has received and rejected the advice of the Council to impose a tariff. The Independent Labour Party conference by 173 to 37 rejected a resolution instructing the council to break from the Labour Party, but a considerable volume of opinion of the conference favoured a split. Attacks upon the Government were cheered.