OTTAWA TARIFFS

Hokitika Guardian, 4 November 1932, Page 5

OTTAWA TARIFFS

WILL THEY LAST?

DISCUSSION IN COMMONS.

(United Press Association—3y Electric

Telegraph Copyright.)

LONDON, November 3

The Ottawa Agreements Ratification Bill has passed through, the committee stage in -/file House of Commons. During thef idiscussipn,' Major Attlee (Labour .moved a new clau-e declaring that Britain, should not require to obtain the Dominions’ consent if she desired to remove her duties from foreign goods. ‘‘This Bid,” he said, “at present, denies the sovereignty of Parliament, and would subject our fiscal policy to the Dominions.”

• Mr Hore 'Belisha, for the Government, said: “There ie nothing in the Otter.va Agreements which takes away this Parliament’s legal r ! ght to reduce the duties at any time. This Act could be replaced by any Parliament. If Sir Herbert 'Samuel Tver© to t> e returned with a majority, he would 'be entitled to remove the duties. All that the Government have said is that while it is law, nothing could bend Parliament for a fixed, period.” .The Government, he .said, .would use all their authority to see that their signatures to these agreements wore honoufed, Mr Geo. Lansbury . (Leader of the Opposition) said that Labour would not be bound by tha t undertaking, which was a dangerous thing to the. country’s good relatione with the Dominions.

The new clause was rejected by 268 votes to 57.

BRITISH UNCERTAINTY.

CONSIDERATION OF POLICY

■ ' : ' LONDON, November 2. The Farmers’ Union welcomed the Government foreign meat quota proposal, .and urges immediate action for greater reduction of imports. The net. decrease therein by June, 1934, will be -only 22,360 tone, and should be one hundred thousand. It is urged that the > reduction / be as follows: — November and December, 20 per cent.; January and March, 1933, 30; April and June, 35; , July-September, 40 ; October-December, 50; January-March 1934, 50 ; April-Jhne, 50.

The Union geeks a corcurrent reduction of 6 per cent. ,of imports of chilled- beef, and temporary prohibition of imports of all Free State five stock.

In the -Commons, in the committee .stage of the Ottawa Bill, Mr Tinker moved that three months! notice must •b© given before orders- under the agreements could be revoked.

Mr Chamberlain said that Britain was junlikely to frustrate or revoke agreements, which , she had taken such trouble, to make, but she must, contemplate the possibility of one of the Dominion '' Governments feeing superseded by another administration which would refuse to abide by the agreements. ;If th| amendment wer e carried, such a Dominion would immediately cease to fulfil its obligations, but Britain would fee compelled to carry hers out for three months.

Sir H. fjamuel .said that Mr Chamberlain's admission of such a possibiL ity showed the dangers the Liberals had emphasised. If .the election is fought in Britain, as it must be, on the tariff fssud, land another party eaids into power, the agreements must be continued till the expiration of five years. It would be better to provide for th© termination fey either side at six months’ not’ice.

Mr b'inker’s amendment was re jected by 249 to 55.

DUTY TO HELP FARMERS

CRITICAL STATE OF AGRICULTURE 1

LONDON, November 3

The critical state of the British agriculture is held to justify a demand for a meat tax on "foreign meat” that is made by an Agricultural Parliamentary Group, representing three hundred Conservative members of the House of Commons.

The "Daily Telegraph’s’’ political correspondent, ■ howeyer, states the Government has decided not, under any circumstances, to ask Parliament io agree to tax British meat import’. Tim correspondent adds; “A meat tax is not feasible but the Government should be encouraged to come to some arrangement, with Australia, New Zealand and Argentina for a temporary immediate restriction of . imports. The Cabinet has at length discussed the question of relief to the. farming industry, as it fully realises the gravity of the position of the livestock industry. The Ministers are considering the possibility/of securing the restriction .of meat imparts v :untarjly, which will oe •Jnor.sSt'd ■with the Dominions. British agiiculturists are insistent that nothing, will meet their case hut r.n immediate dury of foxvrpence P c ‘r pound on a 1 imported meat, with a preference of twopence to the Dominions’ meat.