WINDING UP THE CONFERENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12609, 20 November 1926, Page 5

WINDING UP THE CONFERENCE

DELEGATES REACH AGREEMENT ON INTER-EMPIRE RELATIONS

"A LITTLE MORE ELBOW ROOM” PRINCIPLE OF TAXING STATE TRADING CONCERNS ACCEPTED The Imperial Conference has reached agreement on the most difficult of its problems—that of inter-imperial relations.

15 r Telegraph.—Press A ssn.—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received November 19, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 18.

Dinner engagements—even in the conference’s fifth week they are legion —went by the board to-night while the Prime Ministers finally wrestled with two major allied questions, inter-im-perial relations and treaty obligations, and it was not till 7.45, after they had sat for three hours at the Foreign Office, that they sorted out all the viewpoints, and agreed to their report, whion may be presented to the conference to-morrow. Though previously the two subjects have been handled by separate committees, they have been merged into one report, with a resolution which it is understood will contain a broad general declaration which all Dominions can feel gives them a little more elbow room, and conduces to a better understanding. MIGRATION BASIS OF POLICY UNCHANGED The Migration committee at 10.30 a.m. to-morrow will submit to the nonference a voluminous report, wliicb is largely a review of the achievements and disappointments of the last .three years. There are long chapters devoted to rural housing, rural credits, absorption of ex-service men from Britain and India, land settlements, and the extension of social insurance, hut a resolution will be couched in general terms, recognising the impossibility of any mass movement from Britain, and urging adherence to the existing policy, and an immediate investigation of the possibilities of its elaboration. It is understood that the Prime Ministers this afternoon will also discuss the international aspects of migration. It is agreed that there should he a strong Empire attitude to ensure that each Dominion may keep its own immigration in its own hnnds. no mat- | ter what attempts may he made at Geneva or elsewhere to create an international organisation, i The Imperial Communications committee further examined Sir James i Connolly in reference to his fast ship scheme.

There will be two plenary sessions of the conference to-morrow, and one on -Monday, when it is hoped thnt a considerable clearance of subjects will be made, ensuring the conclusion of the delegates’ labours on Tuesday. TAXING OF STATE CONCERNS ACCEPTED, IN~ PRINCIPLE The Economic sub-committee, dealing with tho uniform taxation of on-

ter prises by foreign Governments, quoted the New Zealand and Australian delegates announcement that their Governments accepted the principle of taxation of Government trading enterprises, the existing law providing sufficient authority for the necessary assessments. The Commonwealth Government, however. wa6 unable to bind the States. The sub-committee considered that a measure of interimperial agreement was warranted, especially when negotiating with foreign Governments with a view to concluding reciprocal agreements for mutual taxation of their trading enterprises. Regarding the taxation of non-resi-dent traders the Economic sub-commit-tee reported that it was desirable to divide the manufacturing and merchanting profits, restricting the income tax charges in the country of sale to merchanting profit. TRADE SURVEYS ADVISED. The same committee, dealing with Mr Bruce’s suggestion for surreys of Empire trade, stressed the advantages of these, and reviewed the existing publication on them. The committee urged that each survey should deal with one trade or group of allied trades as concisely as possible, systematically condensing the reports and avoiding duplication of effort. This would probably necessitate the creation of a statistical conference.

AFFORESTATION MAY ASSIST SETTLEMENT The Forestry sub-committee, in its report, suggests the development of settlement schemes in. connection with afforestation, notes the recent effective Empire organisation, welcomes the New Zealand and Australian Governments’ invitation to hold a third forestry conference in 1928, and recommends that active preparation be made for participation in the conference by the Governments of the Empire. The report refers the question of the constitution of an Empire Forestry Bureau to the Imperial Conference* Mr Gepps (Australia), in an appendix to the report, emphasises the importance of the continuous production of timber, and draws attention to the possibilities of settling forest workers on. agricultural land, sufficient to occupy them when their silvicultural work slackens. He further urges the classification of forest and agricultural' lands, together with the proper management of forests for continuous production and a proper distribution of planting, thinning, and selection by suitable men with reasonable equipment and holdings.