OTTAWA MEETING

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1932, Page 5

OTTAWA MEETING

BRITISH ATTITUDE

QUESTIONED IN AUSTRALIA

United Press Association—By Eleetrn

io.Lfciapu. —CopyrigUL i

CANBERRA, May 24

In the House of Representatives, -Mr Brace, Assistant Treasurer, expressed tho hope tnat the press cablegram setting out that unless the Dominions granted new- and greatly increased p;o----f.M'u'iiceH to British goods, Britain wonkl not re enact the ten per cent, general preference upon. Australian goods, did not tni.y reflect tbe Bri-

tish viewpoint for Ottawa. Jf it did, it would be necessary to remind the British, rep.esntativcs in no uncertain manner, that Australia, for many years had been granting British goods very substantial preferences without reciprocal treatment. He did not anticipate that the question would be approached in this spirit by the British representatives. The Australian Government, certainly would not tolerate it.

MR FORBES QUESTIONED,

AGENDA AND PERSONNEL

WELLINGTON, May 25,

The announcement of the personnel of the New- Zealand Delegation to the Imperial Economic. Conference at Ottawa will be made very shortly, the Prime Minister stated, in reply to a question this afternoon.

Mr Forbes said that the Government has been advised confidentially of the proposed agenda for the conference, but he was' not in a position to make it public. That would probably be donp in the course of the next fewdays by the Canadian authorities.

SMALL N.Z. DELEGATION

DISCUSSION OF AGENDA

WELLINGTON, May 25

The Agenda Paper for the Ottawa Conference was received by the Government to-day.

It is expected that the selection of the New Zealand Delegation will be announced to-morrow.

Mr Forbes to-day said that the agenda was not, long, but it reflected the importance of the conference. I The Cabinet’s Ottawa Conference Committee heard representations today from tile Dominion’s dairy interlents, and the agenda was discussed at length. Mr Forbes said to-day that the delegation would he as small as possible as far as New Zealand was concerned. Representatives of the sporting interest would, if possible, form part of the official delegation.

THE QUOTA POLICY,

OTHER COUNTRIES TO USE IT.

LONDON, May 25

In the House of Commons, replying to a question Hon. W. C-. Runeiman (President of tho Board of Trade) said that there -was no present intention of terminating Britain’s commercial treaties with France and Germany; but lie stated that the existence of the import quotas in other countries would have to he taken into account in -determining the future treaty policy of Britain.

B R I.TJ SH DELEG AT lON

RUGBY, Alay 24

The Acting Prime Minister, Mr S. Baldwin, stated in th e Commons today, that til© British delegation to the Ottawa Conference would include the Minister of Agriculture (Sir A. Oilmo iir). Until it was possible to estimate the length of the present- Parliamentary session, and the Lausanne Conference, it was impossible to say whether two or three of the Aiinist-e.s given in the earlier list would be available.

CANADIAN PRKAIIER’S HOPES

RUGBY, May 24. In an Empire Day message read at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce luncheon in London to-day, Air Bennett said: “In a few months, the Imperial Economic Conference at Ottawa will form part of our history, and I. am convinced a memorable part. The determination evident throughout the Empire to utilise this opportunity to place our economic relations on a mutually advantageous and enduring basis is an assurance that before another Empire Day arrives, definite action will have been taken which will contribute materially to the revival ol trade and industry in every part of the Empire, and 1 trust in the reestablishment of confidence and concerted action necessary for the restoration of prosperity to the world in general.”

KEELING IN I KING KONG. VANCOUVER, May 24. A. message from A jcforia states that Sir WiTiam PeJ, the. Governor of Hang Kong, who has arrived there on • rente to England, sa-id that Hong Ko>,g was ent'M-'d r 'dlv btol he spirit of the “Buy B-itish Goods” campaign. He- said he believes Hmrc h :<n <'P"iiing through iliat port lor an increased amount of mrehase in (nnadn and Australia of wheat, fruits and other commodities.