The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1933 RECIPROCITY!

Hokitika Guardian, 21 October 1933, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, RECIPROCITY!

The he appears to be an antidote necessary I 0 counteract the threat of quotas on British imports of Dominion produce. * Mr Baxter, the urban gentleman from England, who made a- short visit to New Zealand recently, lepresented British-'farming interests concerned about the flooding of the Home market with Dominion produce. Upwards of ninety per cent of our produce exports go to Great Britain. We are very remote from, all the markets of the world, and it is fortunate, thanks to a magnificent ocean steamer service, that such a consuming market as Britain, on the other side of the world, has been enjoyed for so- long. But agricultural interests there do not regard with favour the flooding of the market, and more of it is wanted for the home producer. It is fortunate that for the time the Ottawa agreement saves the position for New Zealand, but that compact has only a limited duration. Before the time limit is exhausted, New Zealand must inevitably make up its mind about the quota system as a means to help the British farmer. To do something with a good grace would be to the greatest advantage. Under the provisions of Ottawa, New Zealand may do something for the betterment of its trade with Britain, and that is by customs concessions to encourage a greater flow of trade this way. Thereby the individual interests of England would be helped, creating more employment and more consumers at Home, and indirectly assisting British production. There is a Customs Commission deliberating at present and it has to report advising the Government on the broad issue of preference and protection. But through that channel it would be possible to afford a measure of reciprocity to encourage trade with Britain, and so provide a- greater argument for the reception of New Zealand produce at Home under the most favoured conditions. New Zealand is a heavy debtor to Britain for loan money, and has its obligations to meet in that respect. The latter is ipossible only with the help of trading facilities. Any and all restrictions will affect the ability of the Dominion to discharge its commitments, and this aspect was placed before Britain very clearly and definitely by the Prime Minister land his colleague when lately in London. It is important that some gesture of good-will will require to be made to avoid the ultimate imposition of restricted produce imports. Keciprocal trading conditions offer an alternative course to assist in saving the British market for New Zealand produce. It has been pointed out that the Dominion cannot live to herself alone. The prosperity of this country is inextricably bound up with that of Britain. It is necessary to buy those British goods and manufactured articles which New Zealand cannot manufacture economically. To do otherwise is to encourage handicaps to our export trade which would he disastrous. The revision of protected goods.made in New Zealand which can he produced more economically at Heme is necessary, and where the volume of labour employed permits, certain lines manufactured will have to be sacrificed for the common good. The. judgment on those A'oints rests with the Government which will have all the facts before it, and will require to act in the interests of the whole, and not the few. It would nnpear that reciprocal trading conditions alone- can save the position for New Zealnd , produce at the juncture now developing.