RELATIONS WITH SPAIN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 126, 27 April 1940, Page 9

RELATIONS WITH SPAIN.

- DISCUSSIONS IN COMMONS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 25. Moving the approval of the clearing office order which, he said, gave effect to the recent trade, and payments agreement between the British and Spanish Governments which was signed on March 18, the Secretary for Overseas Trade (Mr G. H. Shakespeare) stated in the House of Commons that after tlic conclusion of the Spanish war the Government considered that tlic trading position between the two countries should be regularised. It was necessary for importers to be assured that past commercial debts would be settled and future transactions entered into with confidence. Nearly 25,000 British creditors would received payment of commercial debts, almost all of which were contracted before the outbreak of the civil war. Mr Shakespeare emphasised the mutual benefits resulting from the agreement, which enabled traders to resume normal trade connections. Before the civil war Spain was a good market, taking between £5,000,000 and £6,000,000 worth of British exports, while Britain imported fruit, vegetables, and minerals to the extent of £13,000,000. Speaking for the Labour Opposition, Mr E. Shinwell said that, after careful consideration, the Labour Party had decided not to oppose the order, ft would be idle to pretend that no doubts existed regarding the propriety of the agreement, the doubts arising' chiefly because the people of Britain regarded the measures adopted by the Spanish Government as hard and oppressive. \ '