THE MAIN INTEREST

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 83, 4 October 1930, Page 9

THE MAIN INTEREST

MUCH SPECULATION

WHAT WILL BRITAIN DO?

(deceived 4th October, noon.)

' -LONDON/ 3rd October. . From the standpoint of Australian interest very little of importance occurred, at to-day's deliberations. Australia is not intimately concerned with the status and precedence of High Commissioners, because in these times of economy there is no desire to seek ambassadorial status, even though it is the first essential, to obtaining a seat on the Council of the League of Nations, which at present is not contemplated. Anyhow, the High Commissioner might not be chosen, if a seat is^ obtained, nor has the appointment of Australian Ambassadors to other Dominions or foreign countries become an even sufficiently hazy probability to invest that discusion with interest to Australia till the Sankey Committee submits its programme o£ procedure. New Zealand is also content with tho existing arrangements. What at present is causing the liveliest interest in Dominion circles is speculation as to what-Mr. J. 11. Thomas will have to disclose as Britain's contribution to the Empire trade programme on Wednesday, to which tho full-dress debate is deferred. , ■ It is impossible to get confirmation 01 tho "Morning Post's" story that■ Britain will offer only an economic secretariat, chiefly concerned with co-ordin-ating information and helpful in intertrading. Gossip in Dominion circles, including Australia and New Zealand, indicates a possibility of some plain speaking if Messrs. Snowden and Graham deter Cabinet from making some gesture in the direction of strengthening preferences, while the Dominions ■just shrug their shoulders when tho possibility is mentioned of Mr. Snowden attempting to carry out his wish to abolish preferences. One went so far as to .suggest that the fate of the Ministry might hang on that. _ _ Next week will certainly bo a, vital one in the history of the Conference. Proof of the intense interest in the economic issue is tho nightly, attendance of world-known ' journalists, notably Americans, who are briefled to report in the full degree the developments in this respect. It is worth recalling that at the 1926 Conference only a handful of foreign journalists entered an appearance at the Conference Press room. Mr. Forbes's presentation of the case for Empire trade and co-operation on Wednesday will be a careful review of the tendencies of New Zealand trade, where, despite heavy preferences, the percentage of British imports has shown some decline', chiefly owing to American penetration in motor-ears and radio apparatus. Mr. Forbes'a chief points in this connection will probably be the British manufacturers' failure to hold the market in: many articles against American competition, despite all the advantages they enjoy.