DIFFICULTIES OF PREFERENCE

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 196, 17 August 1917, Page 4

DIFFICULTIES OF PREFERENCE

FARMER'S POINT OF VIEW. A paper dealing with Imperial preference was read yesterday before the Auckland provincial executive of the Farmers' Union by Mr A. A. Ross, provincial president. Free Trade with all the world, said Mr Ross, was undoubtedly the ideal system, but departures from it could be justified on political and other grounds. Much care would he needed, and so far as New Zealand was concerned, the effect would be very restricted if foodstuffs were left out. Wool, flax, and gum would then be the only commodities to which preference could be | applied, and in the case of wool, very little benefit would accrue, since Britain's wool supplies came nearly all from within the Empire. Flax and gum, again, were exported mainly to foreign ! countries. 'Hie conclusion he arrived lat was that it would be very hard for Britain to give a preference j that would be of any benefit to New Zealand—though the problem would no 1 doubt be easier in the ease of the less ; developed countries—and that the only ' | way in which New Zealand could benefit j Imperial trade would be to lower the 'existing tarifts against the Empire. Bet--•ter communication and the energetic development of trade and production of all ■kinds should he encouraged, and it would ' be found that by such means the Empire • could be more really consolidated than . by any preferential tariff system. The executive briefly discussed the paper, but as most of the members considered that it required further study the matter was deferred till the next meeting.