SAFEGUARDING DUTIES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 150, 7 April 1930, Page 5

SAFEGUARDING DUTIES

THE CONSERVATIVE POLICY. REFERENDUM ON FOOD TAXES. <U:.ited Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, April 5. The Conservative leader (Mr Stanley Baldwin) has repeated the pledge that there will be no food taxes without a, referendum. He has said that the Conservatives would proceed with, safeguarding the moment they returned tooffice. They wanted a free hand with safeguarding where the Government considered it was necessary for the protection: of the labour of its own people against cheaper labour or inferior conditions, or against dumping by nv countries. It was a, weapon to use in negotiating treaties with protectionist countries, and, in case of need, for retaliation if the negotiations failed. The question of food taxes would only arise when the Imperial Economic Conference had threshed out a, treaty between Great Britain and the. Dominions. If the Dominions, in exchange for substantial benefits to our manufacturing industries, required corresponding benefits connected with foodstuffs, in consequence of which it would be necessary to put taxation on foreign foodstuffs, then the Conservative Government would submit that treaty to the people of Great Britain, who would be free to vote aye or nay. Nothing could be more democratic.