N.Z. PROPOSALS FOR OTTAWA CONFERENGE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 260, 25 June 1932, Page 5

N.Z. PROPOSALS FOR OTTAWA CONFERENGE

ppemier,s outline DOMINION IN POSITION TO EXTEND VALUABLE ' CONCESSIONS. RECIPROCITY ESSENTIAL. WELLINGTON, Friday. The New Zealand Government's policy for presentation at the Oti tawa* Conference was outlihed fiy ! the Prinie ' Miriister (Rt. Hon. G. I W. Forbes) in an interview toI night. " "Tlie ideal of stuengthening the Empire has been the forcmost aim of the leaders of public Ihought in all parts of our Empire," Mr. Forbes said. "It is an ideal that depends for its strength in the rpain on sentiment— o h ties of kinship, common institutions and a common conception of justice and Governntent. Supplementing these is the knowledge that the material interests of the ' peoples in constituent parts of the Empire are best served by their standing together in making reciprocal concessions in matters of trade policy. "It is in recognition of these facts that we approach the Imwerial Economic Conference of 1932. Matters which, as announced to date, are to be discussed during the forthcoming conference, have heen under detaited study by a committee of Cabinet and have had extended consideration hy Cabinet itself. . Empire Unitjr "Very bricfly, New Zealand's attitude is based on the hel'ef that tho constituent members of ihe Ilritish Comnionwealtli of Nation s can make arrangements in trade and other econom'ic' affa'rs, which will be to the material advantage of all, and that the severity of the present depression renders it a matter of first urgency that advantage be taken of these possibilities. "Since the Imperial Conference of 1930 adjourned with an understanding that it should resume in Ottawa, changes of great moment have talcen place in the economxc and financial situation. Great Britain has inxposed duties on certain products of foreign countries including hutter, cheese, fruit, flax and tallow, and has withheld imposition of these duties on Doxxiinion products until November 15 of this year. New Prospccts This grant of tariff preference, temporary though it is, opens up new and valuahb prospects for exporting countries within the Empire. "Since tlie 1930 conference too, and hy reason of the acnte financial depression, currency questions have assumed outstanding ini'portance. Agenda of Conference "The agenda for the Ottawa Conference covers a widc range, though it is confxned to economic and related prohlems. Trade and tariff policies both within the Empire and between the constituent parts of the Empire and foreign countries, transport and communications, including slvipping, postal, cable, wireless, and broadcasting commur^cations, monetary and financial questions, with the restoration of stabilisation of a satisfactory general price level are the most important matters for consideration^ "From this summary, it will he seen that the deliberations of the conference are charged with the highest importance to New Zealand. It seems clear that the reason for the conces-

sion of the Imperial Parliament in withholding duties on the Dominion products referred to, was to afford an opportunity for discussing thc matter with the Dominion Governments with a view to further development of intei'-Imperial trade. Therefore, the Ottawa Conference will be concerned with exploring methods for enabling- increased quantities of Empire goods to he used to supply the British market, and on the other hand, for further facilities being afforded to British goods to enter the Dominion xnarkets. Full Informat'ioii "For this pui-pose, the New Zealand Government has collected full information from exporting interests in New Zealand as to the various ways in which their present share of the British market can he conserved and extended. "There are, of course, several methods by which this can he done it they are jacceptable to Great Britain. Among these are the xnaintenance and extension of the preferences at present granted by Great Britain, and the further opening of tlie Unitied Kingdom market by the regulation of the importation of foreign products into that conntry. Mutual Relations "The export trade of New Zealand with other Dominions xs likewise a very important matter for this country, and the conference will afford an oppox-tunity of reviewing and discussing our mutual coxnmercial relations so far as Great Britain is eonceimed. It is clear that if the Imperial Government is to grant further facilities for the encora-agement of New Zealand and other Dominion trade hy tariff changes or other means, reciprocal advantages must he accorded by the