CROWN OF SUCCESS

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1932, Page 3

CROWN OF SUCCESS

FOR THE OTTAWA ©OIN'FERENOE.

A BRIGHTER TONE.’ SITGGES'PED

New Zealand can rejoice with the Empire to-i-ay in the substantial and practical achievements ,‘resulting from the Imperial Ecbuqjnic | Co..ferencc at Ottawa, Negotiationsj that were necessarily punctuated by periods of doubt and prospects of ideadlock have been carried through tp a successful conclusion. In the upshot Gieat Britain has been able to -conclude, trade agreements with ev-i-y: delegation except, that from the Irish Free State with which she did not treat. / There may be some who will be disappoiiited at the actual', terms of the. agrefeihen'fs reached. Tl}at can only lie because they expected too' much. Perhaps alsp tliey have in the last four weeks read too much of the Dominions’ “demands” and not considered them in the light of what a world trader like Britain 'could concede. Britain still sells much more' outside than inside the Empire and must have respect to foreign markets. Not should it be. forgotten that the Dominions themselves were determined to continue the prptettion of them 'secondary industries* against British competition. A . strict limit wa.s thus, placed'on the effective.,, preferences they could .offer Britain and, corseouently on what they could expect from the Mother Country, Hence to anyone ■ fbalising the immensity And ‘'complexity of the task and ilie str- ngtli of the obstacles' blocking theAvay it must seem a mirrele tha so hmclr has been accomplished. , Another cause for congratulation and deep, thankfulness is th°.t the spirit ’of Empire unity has , triumphantLpassed the severe test’ of trriff-bar-gaining. The pri”ciple cf or-'nri' cooperation ha's been ed arid, what is more diffi ult,. r’N 1 e-' ih many practical .agreeme-.- 4 Tf so much 7 has been proved possible arnone the representatives of' an 'Enmire comprising one-forirth of ’ the earth’s area and population, thei'e'is good hone of achievement at the [forthcoming W'-r 1 - 1 'Economic Gontferencte. 'Ottawa shoul*’prove a real hrip in lifting the d - pression and I»orido|i may' complete ’the upward rrioveplent; So far as New Zoahnd is concerned, 'our dairy product and fruit are to enjoy preferences in the 'British market It should not Be forgotten, moreover, that th 6 existing preference of 10 ner cent, on these articles',, was to have ceased on November 15 next, fading agreement at Ottawa., Sb\ f r as meat is concerned, the drive tH s-enre *e striction' on British imports of AN goritihe chilled beef' lias V sari'C"oded. although the restriction is not a severe one. ri; ■■■'" "■

How far th : s is gmng to help t’-' mutton and. lamb, njarke-t iin __ Ayhir-. 1 - vi iSTdw Zealand is chiefly ' interested' mains td'.he se°’T. From tiie r b-hyt' Air Bruce and Mr Coates s ’em to Ir.vr attached great importan-’e to the admission of -this quota principle. At any' rate 'preferential ‘duties on.EmHre meat have Bern dropped in favour of foreign import’ restrietiors. Tt also anhears as if some limits ore to h** plriced on '.Australrn and New Zen land exports of mutton and lamb to Britain. The,details of this e-gronnp-v have riot teen published, hut o” th'’. reports it rinfinot at present‘be regarded; with equanimity. 1 ; Mr Stanley Baldwin speaks of the Coyfere-nOe having "erected a fair and stable edifice.’’ Perli-hos it would be better' to -sav that the foundations' have linen well and t-rirlv laid, atfd part o’f th? building erected. For besides th" trade agreements which will be closeh’ studied this morning, the: Conference has reached many decisions, unspectacular - hut Trgblv- important at start-ing-points for further progress to-