OTTAWA ASSEMBLY

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1932, Page 5

OTTAWA ASSEMBLY

ENDS NEXT WEEK

DELEGATES EXPRESS SURPRISE.

(United Press Association—By Electric

Telegraph—Copyright.)

OTTAWA, August.ll

An official announcement was made to-day that the Conference would probabily close on August 18. This announcement came as a surprise to the Dominion delegates . I hey (despite holding long conversations Ivith the British Ministers, have not yet; succeeded in obtaining any definite indication of an ultimata decision regarding any commodity, although there is a hopeful tone throughout the proceedings. It is considered that dairy produce and fruit will offer difficulty. The most ticklish problem is meat, on which Mr. Bruce and Mr Coates are taking'up an unswerving stand. It has. been emphasised to Britain that'R restriction on the imports, pin* a small duty, represents the Dominions’! minimum requirement, for an agreement to -wh&h the BoifiinienS ftlb''pfbpred'to'dVe an adequate return. * / «KV ; It is known that y .Australian and New Zealand their negotiations with Mtftlnijn -half an hour, if Britain would; mclave >' herself, but her are being up of her negotiawhi^^yvanada'. The generally is, now that; the Conference? closing date is announced that . Britain will' be) prepared to make concesisons, - sufficient to satisfy the Dominions, who, nevertheless, are anxiously awaiting the moment when they will learn the ex-, tent to which their desires are to be fulfilled..

:■ The British delegation had ' long discussions with the delegations 'of Canada, Australia, India and South Africa, and pushed the work a stage further. The British delegates, also riiet the Rhodesian delegates. The British delegates later consulted their own industrial advisers.

’There have been further long consultations between British and Canadian officials, ana British and Australian officials'. . , . The spokesman of the Conference emphasised, that negotiations were proceeding as .quickly ns was practicable,and said there still was an optimistic spirit and a good , chance of a'satisfactory agreement all round.

• The holding of a plenary 'session on Thursday next does not necessarily complete the Conference’s wdi’k, Hilt it is hoped then t& dispose of the greater part of it; The delegates concerned, said the spokesman, will certainly remain in Ottawa until the task is completed. There is a strong 'probability that the decisions will be embodied .in a multilateral agreement, thus, as , far ae possible, tying them up together in one harmonious whole'. This is an Imperial Conference, not a series of individual conferences.

Ari American correspondent asked the spokesman!: How can the promotion of Empire Trade help the outside world? „

The ,spokesman replied blandly. “Wait and see!”

Questioned regarding Russia, the spokesman said that the Dominions anti-dumping proposals were receiving very eames't- consideration. The de~. cision thereon would form 1 part of the final agreement-. He predicted - that the general tenor of the agreement would be published immediately after the Conference’s endorsement. The spokesman said 'no major agreements Have yet keen concluded. Britain, as a mark of gratitude for Canada’s lavish hospitality, is entertaining the .members cf the Canadian Cabinet and their wives at dinner on August 18, and subsequently giving a party and a dance to which everybody associated with the Conference will be invited.