EMPIRE TRADE

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5311, 25 January 1947, Page 5

EMPIRE TRADE

Effort To Eliminate Preference Clause^ ' — — j LONDON, January "24 Describing the Americaix nxanufae-' furers' denxand for the elimination of all Empire »j)reference as humiliating, Mr. L. S. Amery, speaking as president at the annnal meeting. of the Empix-e Industries' Association, said ihat submission would mean the abandonment of the px-otection of Britain's domestic industries and agriculture, and Britain would have to face unlimited competition in tKe home market. "We are living in a world of sheer delusion if we think that' there is a ghost of a chance of our paying our way in a world of open, , cut-throat price competition," he - said. Saying that he believed the Government had under consideration a note from the United States Govemmeiit asking that preferences on impoit duties between the countries of the British Empire should be abolished, Lord Woolton told the 'Empire Indus-tx-ies' Association that he was, therefore, even. more appreciative concetning Britain's ahility to repay the American loans. "We mu'st not be prepared to surrender our right of economic mutual tariff arrengements. "Changes must come with chang- | ing circumstances but I an* certain I it wjll be a bad day for Britain when it abandons its right to trade with the Empire under conditions which it determines." : :