OTTAWA PARLEY

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1932, Page 5

OTTAWA PARLEY

EMPIRE TRADE DISCUSSION IN COMMONS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 16. The forthcoming conlereiwe at Uti/tawa was discussed in ti.e Commons ktb-day. The Dominions Secretary, Mr Thomas, said that it would be the duty of i Ministers, when they met t..eir ieh<nv , jUoni.inon statesmen and with them, represented a quarter of the population lo] the world, including ail classes, creeds and politics, to see how they cculd direct their energies to obtain more and ireer trade. The difficulty would be to reconcile the differing interests. They were encouraged to hope, by the fact that they were meeting the representatives of their kin, with • the tremendous advantage of goodwill on all sides. The first question would be as to the steps which could be usefully taken between the Dominions, of mutual advantage to each other’s trade. That alone covered a wide rahge of subjects, and raised definitely the question of tariffs and with it tile question of linpfefial preference. Britain had made a great contribution to goodwill by her own, action on this matter, and he believed the gesture would be reciprocated.

Regarding secondary industries hi the Dominions he suggested that where diffeent manufactures rot made in the Dominions could he made better and more cheaply in Britain, such goods should be subjected to a process of rationalisation and agreement as between one Dominion and another. After trade and related matters, there were monetary and financial questions, which must include the whole question of currency.

He thought the changing world conditions and changed relationship in the British Commonwealth, all just’fied the hope and belief that there might emerge from the Conference some body representing all the Dominions, that would be able to be in daily contact. The policy of the Government was to go to Ottawa absolutely free and unfettered, with an open mind prepared to examine every question on its merits and prepared to approach the problems not unmindful of their own responsibilities and obligations, but all the time keeping in mind the under view of the situation. If they could, by common agreement, reconcile the divergent interests and help each other, it would be a • great example to the world. i “If all the Dominions were as ready for the Ottawa Conference as is Britaih, the Conference would hot fail for wafit of preparation. We do hot view the Ottawa, Conference Iri a sort of disarmament conference , which is going on #w a l<mg time, Wo must he lmslnosslike, The British Government will certainly go to the Conference prepared to state its view s on the whole question of currency.”

Referring to migration, he said that the only way of assuring an outlet for Britain’s surplus population was a restoration of the Dominion’s prosperity. He could not state the Government’s intentions regarding meat or timber, or anything else, as he was going to Ottawa with an unfettered mind.

BRITAIN’S LIMITED MARKETS. TAXATION ON WHEAT AND MEAT. LONDON, June 17. Speaking in the House of Commons on the Ottawa Conference, the Labour Member, Sir Stafford Cripps, K.C., eon- 1 tended that the House ought to be given some outline of the Government’s policy, or at least its policy on the main question, and also informed how far the Ottawa Conference was going to override the Lausanne Conference. They were entitled to know whether the Government were going to offer to tax wheat and meat. Nothing was more certain to disrupt the British Empire than to make the British people pay taxes on these foods in order to subsidise Dominion farmers with imperial preferences. Britain, he said, could not afford to limit her markets for her specialised products. Furthermore, the Government had given no lead on the monetary question. Mr Leopold Amery (Conservative) said that the essence of the world crisis was a breakdown of the international monetary and financial system. The gold standard had now collapsed. and nothing would be attainable at Lausanne or elsewhere “to put Hurnpty Dumpfy back on the wall” in the near future; but the Ottawa Conference would enable us to right matters within the Empire.

Referring to the Irish 'Free State, Mr Amery said that there should In* freedom to withdraw any preferences from those who were not fully playing the ga,me. (Cheers). _ He eonliiuiod that if Mr Neville Chamberlain was able to announce at Ottawa that their definite aim was to restore I lie price level of 1020 in the terms of sterling, he believed there would he no difficulty in arriving a* "n agreement satisfactory lo Iho whole F moire.

Mr S. B’klwin. replving !/> 'he do--I,ale. v;,i ( l the Ottawa Conference was l| y imivwtant. because «•*• wo 1 '" *' L the parting of ilm wav-. The whole economic pull of the world uas in the ,lir«elh.|i of 'r-ger noils. ff the British Domin oes did not 'nine in'- - el sc|- economic uni' n w fli lis, then fi>riet,s dangers might come between the component parts of the Empire. The Empire was the only market in the world to which Britain might get a preferential entrance. The Colonies

and the Dominions wove, the only countries in which we might hope to see the population of British stock incieasing, and many of our people finding hemes. His own view, and the Government s general objective, was freer or lec-ij.io-cTnl free trade within the Empire. He would lie deeply disappointed if arrangements were not ((included which would enable ns to continue indefinitely, || )f . prob-rem-e given to our h' t ' r Import Duties Act. The chance of a lifetime was before us. If it were thrown away, it may never return. As regards the currency questu u, Mi Baldwin said they had to consider at Ottawa the inter-relationship of the various eiirreucks am] monetary standards of the Empire, with a view to piomothig enmri.ii n s must favourable lo mutual trade iHerruirse. The. ildng was to get together and understand tie others' viewpoint. 0 might clear he air if he stated; “We do not want the exchange value of the pound lo i Ise. We do definitely want >i rise in wholesale prices.” But pe"sonally. he should drea,t tin* running iiwpv of retail prices. We lmd tin i”t.eiition of returning to the gild standard as long as gold behaved as it was now doing.