OTTAWA MEETING

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1932, Page 5

OTTAWA MEETING

ITS DURATION - • END OF AUGUST AT LEAST. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) , ' OTTAWA, July 30. Opinion is veering to the view tnat the Economic Conference, despite ear-ly-rapid progress, cannot finish before the end-of August. It is th'at the English delegates will be able to. occupy the berths that they have hooked with the idea of leaving Montreal'e’arly in August by the luxurious liner', Empress cf Britain. : *' ' It is fekfed, however,' that if the \ Conference lasted much beyond that date, it would almost be an admission of failure; but it is doubtful whether, ; within three weeks, the monetary problem, which now is seen as a paramount item, can be solved, or taken to a stage where a posponement to a w-ider conference would be agreeable to the Empire delegations. [ The'Australian delegates who are. going' to London include Mr and Mrs Dougal; Tout) itiddle, Melville, Duffy l hnd Ogborn 1 Mills. I /’ All of the New. Zealunders 1 , except Messrs Forsyth ttnd Davis the London representatives respectively of the Meat , and Dairy Boards, will return j home , immediately after the Conference.. AMERICAN' PRESS REPORTS. MISCHIEVOUS GUESS' WORK. r 1 OTTAWA, July 31. Some remarkable, and sometimes mischievous, guess-work, has been i noted in the articles apearing in the American ne l spapers. A notable instance is a suggestion that Britain, instead of extending her preferences, will cancel portions of the Dominion’s indebtedness. , How such a. plan could assist the primary producer to sell his goods profitably,' it is impossible to see. Be- [ sides, apart from the war debt owed to the British .Government, all of the ] Dominion loans represent debts to , private lenders in the London money j market. , ,• ’; Indeed, if all of' the Dominion loaps j were suddenly to be wiped out, it i would not be a remedy, and could not. j i be compared with the effectiveness of t the provision of tariff preferences en- t abling, the primary producers to evade r j complete tuin, whither they have been < descending for the past two years. 1 i ' ■ ■ ■ “■ fc Canadian initiative. j v ’ r 4 Y ON UtSHAtP OF HER TttADE. ( r ;<::r&WAIPAi July 30. F A Canadian Cabinet Committee, in- o eluding, Mwm Bennett and Stevens j I under the chairmanship, of Mr Rhodes f (Minister of Finance),, has. nearly com- t pleted a careful examination of the b tariff schedule, and is preparing con- r cessions which oalv, be granted to Brit- t ain, particularly,.,in,.-cottons, woollens c and steel.. There is ; ;a growing feeing n in Canadian Government, circles that ij Britain will be favourably disposed to o give preference to wbeqt, meat and p J other primary products. One of Canada’s . concessions will o probably be a curtailment of the cus- u toms officials’ authority to fix arbitrary values for customs purposes, n which Mr Baldwin deprecated in his d Thursday’s statement. n

MEMBERS ARE NOT READY. FOR “TARIFF DISARMAMENT” OTTAYVA, July 30. The “Ottawa Citizen” says it regrets that tilery are signs .that the members of the conference are not ready for “tariff disarmament.” Australia has endeavoured to put pressure on Britain by describing tne British position as a tardy response to what Australia has already done. The British reply on Thursday gave impressive evidence to the contrary. It must be an onerous task for'Mr Bruce, Mi Baldwin and Mr. Bennett. to find themselves compelled to make demands where they 'would much rather offer mutual aid; but so long as they regard ’ themselves . as' the agents of tariff natiqhaUsmJ' they can do little else. MR BRUCE AND PEERAGE. OTTAWA, July 31. A friend, brandishing a local newspaper, addressed the Australian delegate, Mr Stanley Bruce, as follows: “I see you are going to the Iloiire of Lords earlier than we expected!” The newspaper article had developed the idea that Mr Bennett (Canadian Premier) would shortly have a Peer;age conferred on him as the Canadian representative .on the projected Imperial Economic General Staff, which may supersede the Empire Marketing Board and the Imperial Economic Committee. The writer displayed a remarkable misconcern of the British constitutional structure when he linked this proposed economic executive with the Privy Council, and deduced that the members, therefore, must bo elevated to, the peerage. 7 A BIG PROBLEM. ' : UNDER, DISCUSSION. OTTAWA. July 31. The cooks who are. busy at Ottawa

in preparing an Empire m: c a'l have not yet solved .the problem regarding all of the ingredients. It is not expected to be a lavish banquet, but the cooks are concerned merely in providing an honest working man’s dfenei. They consider that they have already solved the butter problem. There is no difficulty about biead, because the wheat farmer has produced abundant. Regarding moat they have a roast ready in the; pan. Assorted fruits adorn the sideboard. The only question that remains is “can we provide the gas For the cookihg stoVe?” in other words, that is the fctiirehcy problem. There is a bountiful! supply of everything that a hungry man needs. Can we have it? , Can Ottawa put the starving Empire ini a position to purchase its mettlP. Th« ptiriyr fffa-gmj- of the discussion on the monetary problem indicate that ■it probably will be wise that the con. ferentfe holiday arrangements will give time for the incubation' of ideas which bavje been outlined. The utmost secrecy is being observed regarding the trend of the suggested action, because, if any hint were disclosed, it might conceivably embarrass Britain if she became involved in a volte fare, or in an amendment of her original proposals at the Dominions’ behest.

Moreover, any premature predictions of a final 'scheme might ie,n tail a world wide repercussion If a policy were adopted which meant a. general curtailment of production, it is difficult to imagine wliat may happen. The elconomists are walking the corridors with a consciously important air. They have now taken their places under the spot lights down on the stage. Everybody in the select audienete is weighing their words. EVea if, ala anticipated, the preliminary currency speeches are'released on Tuesday in am abridged form, they will not contain a single word of a plan that is now being discussed. They will merely outline the sorry plight of the Dominions. They also will embrace a review of Britain’s returning financial health. It will show that Australia and India have developed a common tie out of their common distress.

The present interregnum in the official business does not mean a complete stoppage of progress. On the other hand, it means accelerated activity on the part of the Sub-Commit-tee reviewing the currency problems. These experts are accomplishing really effective work during the week-end. They have been asked two questions. The first is: Js it advisable, and practicable, to raire commodity prices? If so, bow? Secondly: Is it advisable and practicable to stabilise the exchange!,?? If so, how? It is agreed that the answers cannot be furnished within a few days. The report will involve the most serious consideration of any subject before the conference. The heads of the Delegatio"rs especially realise tjhie dr?op responsibility; and it is tm'ikely that,;any essential progress towards a .decision will! be made until next week; oft r the delegates have returned from their Niagara trip.