TARIFF IN BRITAIN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 74, 18 November 1931, Page 5

TARIFF IN BRITAIN

(British dfflcial Wireless)

against dumping DUTIES UP TO 100 PER CENT | TO BE IMPOSED ON MANUFACTURES ■ F.MERGENCY POWERS PROPOSED 1

RUGBY, Monday. ; In concluding the day's debate on the Address-in-Reply in the House of Commons; Mr. Walter Runciman, I President bf * the Board of Trade, ! made his anticipated statement on the | Government's plans for dealing with | abnormal importations; He announeed that a bill empow- J | ering the Board of Trade to issue ; orders imposing duties not exeeeding ; 100 per cent. on manufactured and ; mainly manufactured hrticles would • be introduced immediately and pass- 1 ed through all stages by ThurSday. ; These emergency powers would last for six months. Mr. Runciman explained that in anticipation of possible changes in the British fiseal policy there had beeri an .abnormal Vblume of importation. Two years ago, when trade was active, importations of class B, or manufactured and mainly manufactured articles, were at the rate of £28,000,000 per month. Fbr the first 10 days of November they were at the rate of £35,000,000 per month. The Government had to deal with each problem as it arose practically, and without preconceptions. To maintain the currency they must prevent the adverse trade balance from increasing. The only permanent way of restoring the trade balance was by iexpanding exports rather than curtailing imports, but the two things were hot incompatible, and he hoped the British phrchasing capacity abroad would be reserved for essentials. To allow . goods to be imported in the present abnormal quantities would defeat the ends of the Chancellor bf the Exehequer if he had later to imhose duties.

The Governiixent; Mr. Runciman stated, had not included agricklture, ori the solutioii of the difficklties on

which the Minister of Agriculture, Sir John Gilmour, was already at work, and had chosen class B manufactured and mainly manfactured goods to which to apply the Act, .because they would be able to make a large and effeetive selection within this class without detriment to other industries and without increasing the cost of living. Mr. Runciman's statement was received with loud cheers by the Government supporters. Prompt Action Demanded

Mr. L. C. M. S: Amery said that tariffs must be the foundation of the Government's task. A mandate had been given and it demanded prompt action. The economic situation was , still very serious, and if the Government suspended action until February a crash might come in the interval. The postponement of the Imperial Economic Conference, he continued, was only justifiable if Parliament immediately decided What duties it would adopt, and what offers it could make to the Dominions. Negotiations | should be opened before December j 1931 in order that agreements might be ready for the confirmation of the Imperial Conference. If Mr. Thomas (Dominions Secretary) toured the Dominions without a plan he would be told that his journey was Useless. The Dominions did not want more talk and more "hot air." If there was going to be an emergency tariff, it was better in December than in February. Mistake To Delay Mr. H. L. Boyce (Con. Gloucester) I stated that Mr. Amery and not Mr. Thomas should have been chosen to represent the Government at the Imperial Conference. It was a mistake to delay the Conference until July. The majority of the Dominions wanted it early in the New Year and so did members of the House of Commons. Personally he could not help thinking that the delay was not unconneeted with Mr. Thomas's desire to visit the Dominions. What was the object of the tour, he asked. The House should have the assurance that the appeal Mr. Thomas was going to make to the Dominions was different from that made to the Domiriion ministers when they were here. The Dominions' viewpoint was already known. Australia was pressing for an early 'Conference and the opinions of successive New Zealand Governments had never been doubtful. i The Address-in-Reply was agreed ■ to ' without a division.