VIEWS IN COMMONS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 367, 31 October 1932, Page 5

VIEWS IN COMMONS

(Press. Assn.-

MOVE TO OMIT VARIOUS DOMINIQN PRODUCTS DEFEATED SECOND READING DEBATE

— By Telegraph.— Copyright).

Rec. Oct. 29, 5.5 p.m. Lonhon, October? 28. In the House of Commons the second reading of the Ottawa Agreements Bill was agreed to by 346 votes to 77. Mr. Walter Runciman (president of the Board of Trade) said the motor trade with New Zealand had already benefited by the agreement. The bill was talcen in committee. The Labour member for Don Valley, Yorkshire , (Mr. T. Williams), Moved to omit from the bill the, two shillings duty per quarter on wheat. This, added to the duties bn cheese and butter, he said, would mean a real burden on the poor, Mr. L. Hore-Belisha (Financial Secfetary to the Treasury), said the object of the .duty was to : enspre a greater supply from the Empire at the. expense of the foreign product, and he hoped the Dominions would reciprocate by buying more British manufacture s. The consumer was amply protected by the prpvision that purchases must be at .the world price, and jf the D.ominions are unable, to Supply at that figure the duty would, be removed. . The amendment was rejected by 200 votes to 51. Butter and Cheese Duties Mr. D. R. Grenfell (Labour member for Gower, Glamorgan) moved the omission of butter, cheese, eggs and milk, and contended that Britain could produce them as eheaply and efficiently as any country. The Dominions already were able to compete in the market and the duty would mean that many of the poor wouid be unable to buy butter. They already were buying less Danish and more of the cheaper and inferior Dominion product. JJr. E. L. Burgin (Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade) ridiculed the idea of hardship on the poor. On the contrary it would prove mutually beneficial with a controlled supply, giving the Empire an assured market. The amendment was rejected by 197 votes to 39.