DEFENCE OF MEASURE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 77, 21 November 1931, Page 5

DEFENCE OF MEASURE

CBritish Official Wirelessl

"same freedom in trade asi enjoyed by all other countries." power with discretion

RUGBY, Thursday. Replying in the second reading debate ,on the Abnormal Importations Customs Duties Bill, Mr. Walter Runciman (President of the Board of Trade) said there was nothing in the Bill which infringed any commercial treaty to which Great Britain was party. "We claim the.same freedom with regard- to our trade and fiscal system as is enjoyed by every other country in the world," he added. "It is within the limits of that freedom that we ask for these powers and they will not be abused." , „ , The Bill will to-morrow go to the House of Lords, where it will pass through all its stages and receive the Royal Assent. ; To-night's debate was hased on Labour amendments, modifying the scope of the measure, particularly by excluding from the operation articles wholly or mainly manufactured which may be used as raw materials in other industries. Major L. Hore Belisha, Parliamentary Seeretary to the Board of Trade, said such matters would be borne in mind by the President of the Board of Trade in the exercise of his powers. The Bill was designed to qssist and not to impede industry. For that reason the Govemment had selected out of all the classes in the import list that class which did not deal with raw materials,.. The principles that would guide them in -the administration of the nieagure . had been indicated by Mr, . Runciman, who assured them that his • powers. would not be abused as he ,was fully alive to the deli.cacy of British commerce and the narrpw margin on which prosperity depended. . , . On.,Cla.use 2 which provides for a duty up to.100 per cent. on imported gQods, except such goods as are Empire products, Mr. Hicks (Labour) moved.that no apticles be deemed to be Empire produce unless at least 75 per cent. is manufactured within the Empire. The amendment was defeated by 306 votes to 45.