The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1929. BRITAIN AND EMPIRE TRADE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 224, 21 September 1929, Page 8

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1929. BRITAIN AND EMPIRE TRADE.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the iprong that needs resistant*, For the future in the distance, Aod the good that ioe «h» da.

On August 10 Mr. J. H. Thomas, Minister in Charge of Unemployment, left London 011 a voyage to Canada. His chief purpose in visiting the Dominion, as he explained it, was "to improve trade relations with Britain." A few days before he had stated that "there is only one solution of the problem of unemployment,''' and that is the extension of Britain's markets. Mr. Thomas is now back I in England, and though he has refused to make any official statement pending the discussion of hi.s proposals by Parliament, it is reported that he has arranged an agreement under which "Canada will buy vast shipments of British coal in return for a guaranteed market for Canadian wheat." A iiitle further light was thrown on these negotiations by Mr. Thomas when interviewed at Liverpool 011 his return. He had said that the only objeet of his mission was "to find work for British unemployed without injuring the Canadian worker." Arguing on these lines, he had not. r.sked Canada to take anything from Britain that she could produce for herself; but "he felt that he was entitled to make a strong claim for trade,"' on the ground that Britain is Canada's largest customer in the matter of wheat. After pointing out to the Canadians that they are importing 16,000,000 tons of American coal a year, and spending £4 with the United States for every £1 that they spend on British products. Mr. Thomas felt justified in urging Canada to '•reciprocate" along the lines that he suggested. On his return from his self-imposed niissior Mr. Thomas made publicly an apologetic reference to his unprecedented step ir "doubling" the part of a Minister of the Crown and a commercial traveller. But in view of the terrible industrial and commercial depression which Britain is now experiencing, we do not think that any apology was necessary. What impresses us most' is not the spectacle of a British Minister looking for "orders," but the fact that Mr. Thomas, by making this expedition, has not only emphasised the value of the Dominion markets to Britain, but has urged upon Canada the desirability of establishing on an enduring basis that "reciprocity" which is the foundation of all attempts to consolidate the Empire by means of Preferential Trade. It is not for us to suggest how Mr. Thomas is to reconcile his appeal to Canada for "reciprocity" with the declared policy of h:s party and his Ministerial colleagues. But it should be remembered that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, during the debate on iLe Address-in-Reply, stated positively that he intended to sweep away* such preferential duties as Britain has already imposed on behalf of colonial goods. In vain Mr. Araerv pointed out that the Dominion preferences to British goods amounted to £1-1,000,000, and Britain's concessions to the Dominions totalled only £2,000,000. Mr. Graham and other members of the Government atid party endorsed Mf. Snowden's decision, and though an attempt wits- made to conciliate the Dominions later, and assurances were given that no precipitate steps would be taken, it is clear that it Labour remains in office the Dominions have to face the practical certainty that Imperial "Reciprocity will be finally saci-ifieed on the altar of Free Trade. But in the light of all this, how can Mr. Thomas justify his appeal to Canada ? We agree entirely with him that the chief hope for Britain's industrial and commercial future lies in the enlargement of her markets, and more especially in the extension of her trade in Dominion markets, which are the only markets in the world where her goods receive special consideration. All these facts form, as we have said, the fundamental groundwork of that system of Preferential Trade which the Dominions are striving to build up most largely in Britain's interests, in the face of British apathy or British resistance. But while we have to thank Mr. Thomas for thus recognising the importance and truth of these principles, we can only repeat our amazement that he and the Ministers who share his views should still recognise the authority of the Cobdenite tradition and should be prepared to propitiate Mr. Snowden and the Free Traders by contemning and rejecting the plea of the Dominions for Preferential Trade.