N.Z. POSITION

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 314, 30 August 1932, Page 5

N.Z. POSITION

(Press Assn.-

OPERATION INDEFINITE

— By Telegraph— Copyright)

Wellington, Monday. No definite information has been received by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, hs to when it is proposed that the Ottawa trade agreement as between Great Britain and New Zealand shall come into operation, but Mr. Forbes stated in reply to a question that he presumed the first step would be the submission of the agreement to the Parliaments concerned for ratification, and then subject to this being endorsed the date would be arranged for new terms and the conditions would come into effect. Ratification of the agreement would be one of the matters for consideration during the Parliamentary session, and if Parliament concurred under the new arrangement, legislation would be introduced as required giving effect to the preferences set out in the schedules of the agreement. The New Zealand agreement contains a provision whereby the Government would institute inquiry into the existing protective duties and where necessary, reduce them as speedily as possible to a level placing the British manufacturer in the position of a domestic competitor. Mr. Forbes said the Government did not contemplate malcing the necessary investigation until the agreement was approved by Parliament. He was unable to say at present what form the inquiry would take and what the scope would be.