OTTAWA CONFERENCE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 188, 1 April 1932, Page 5

OTTAWA CONFERENCE

("Post" Special Commissioner) .

dominion's policy cabinet sub-cqmmittee set up to 'prepare ' programme traders' view^ sought '

WELLINGTON, Thursday. A brief respite from almost continfiqps Gabinet sittings was ,taken this morning in order. to. permit of the meeting of the special committee df the Ministry, consisting of the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. .W". Forbes), t)ip Hop. W. Dowpje jStewapt apd the EEqn. R. Masters, which has heen set u|) to Ryeparq for Cabinet approval a* policy fqr submission op behalf of New Zealand at the imperial Economic Conference at Ottawa in July. The Prime Ministqr stated to-day that the question of the personpel qf thq delegatiop to go tq Ottawa on behalf o|( New Zealapd djd not arise ip connectipp with the qpmmtttee's sitting. That was a matter for Cahinet decisiqn apd it had nbt yet been deterpiined. . ' ?. .The pommittee, he said, yva$ desirous of hearing the view^ ' .of interested sections qf the cppimpnity, such as chambera qf CQpipierce, the Manpfacturers' Associ.atiop, the Farpaers? Union and other bodies, so that it wppld be in a position to formuiate definite proposals for Ottawa in line with the opinions of the trading interests in the Dominion. Information as to various aspects of thel trade of New Zealand was also being collected for the committee by the Customs Department, the Department of Industries and Commerce, and the Agricultural Department, Mr. Forbes continued. The fullest ppportunity would be given for the expres§ion of vie\ys before the committee. In reply to a question, Mr. Forbes stated that it was propqsed tq make available for general information the policy which tfie Goyernment would draw pp. It would he taken as a basis for negotiation with the representatives of the Old Country and for argument at Qttawa. He suggested that the New Zealand delegation might enter intq. negqtiations for tai'iff concessions in addition to, those recently announced by Great Britain under the new ppeferential treatmept arrangement and that N.ew Zealand would probably be asked what assistance she was prepared to offer in r.eturn. The Govepnment has not yet ,receiyed information as to the agenda for the conference and the Prime Minister said that this 'might have an important influence on the matter of representation, especially if, as had been yeported, the question of Empire currency and exchange was included as a subject for discussion. Asked if the delegates which .the various produce control boards desire to send to Ottawa would have official standing, Mr Forbes said there had been no decision as. to now clqsely those delegates would be attached tc the official body and the Govcrnpient would he guided to some extent by the composition of the delegations from other' parts of the Empire.