FISCAL POLICY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 54, 5 March 1930, Page 7

FISCAL POLICY.

BALDWIN'S VIEWS. Imperial Affairs Free From Party Politics. NO' FOOD TAXES URGrED. (British Official Wireless.) . . (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, March 4. Mr. Stanley Baldwin, the Conservative ex-Prime Minister, made an important speech on fiscal policy at the: Council of the National Union of Conservative Associations. He said that the gravity of unemployment, combined.with the far greater and wider question of uniting , the peoples in.the Empire and the. visualising of the Empire as an economic unit required that we should wed an Imperial policy with our domestic policy.' "But-" he continued, "when we come to consider. these questions, we always have to consider what are known in the political world as food taxes. I have always been unwilling, and I am Tinwilliil(r to-day to ask the people of tins country to give any vote on the question of food taxes unless and until they know exactly what is involved and what they may be going to get in exchange." * Many of his friends had wrongly taken the Yiiv,-.said Mr. Baldwin, that his recent declaration against food taxes „i„,w negotiations fully and freely withthe Dominions. It did nothing oi the kind. The difficulty was- that negotiations' of that kind, resulting ni something definite and subject, to Unsanction of Parliament, would, have to be presented to the country at a. general elections There was no prejudice greater in -this country than the prejudice against a food tax. , °It- ; was so'"regarded from a political viewpoint, and if any treaty or arrangements were secured at a party election and were given effect to, it would inevitably be upset, by the next party that carafe Into power. The resuit of an arrangement of .that kind in Imperial matters being treated as the shuttlecock of our" party politics might do damage to Imperial relations that would last, perhaps for generations. He had been considering if it were not possible to get these questions, which were concerned- with our Imperial relationship, taken out of- the arena of party politics.

He believed that the only way was oy means of a referendum. Such a referendum ought not to involve the fate of the Government because if the fate of the Government hung on a referendum the • referendum immediately became political. If the people of this, country knew that: they -were asked to give their- decision on a specific point, and thatithe result of their decision did not mean-a general election, they could give their vote free and on its merits,- ■■'•' Mr.-Baldwin added that there; would lis no food tax-at the next general election;. The first business that would lie before' the' Conservative party, if it were returned :to"power/would be to summon unconditionally, - a conference of the Empire to discuss these economic sub-jects-and" to' get 'something done. He had no idea of the lines which the discussions might take. The Dominions were autonomous and free. 'Tt is not for: us to dictate to them," he said. It is for us to meet in an atmosphere of perfect freedom and, if as result; 'of those discussions, there should .'emerge any" form, of agreement or treaty that does give us great benefits and that demands in return" a tax on some "..article of. food, from a foreign country,, or taxes on some articles, then that" whole, issue, can be put- clearly before our. people." _ _" ■.". A'-reply-to Mr.: Baldwin was immediately made by Lord ■■ Beaverbrook,' who with-Lord Eothermere, has formed the United. Empire Party.. Lord Beaverbrook was to have addressed a special meeting of the Associated Chambers of Agriculture, but instead sent a letter in which he said-: "We have a momentous announcement from the Conservative Leader,- Mr. Baldwin, which alters, almost* -to the- point of transformation, the political' outlook. I cannot pro-. nounce ; upon.'his' "declaration without having an opportunity of consulting beforehand with my colleagues who are working with me in the development of the United Empire Party. I shall, take the earliest opportunity of doing this, and meanwhile I hope you will convey to our friends, my congratulations upon the increasingly" favourable prospects for the cause we have at heart."