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Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 234, 3 October 1932, Page 11

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TWO N.Z. DELEGATES. CONFERENCE'S ACHIEVEMENT. COMMENT BY MR. GOODFELLOW. Some members of the New Zealand and Australian delegations to the Ottawa Conference returned by the Aorangi, which arrived from Vancouver yesterday evening. The New Zealanders were Mr. W. Goodfellow, official representative of dairying interests, Mr. A. R. Harris, who accompanied Mr. Goodfellow in an unofficial capacity, and Mr. G. W. Reid, official representative of manufacturing interests. The Australian delegates were Mr. S. McKay, manufacturing interests, and the Hon. J. Hume Cook and Mr. li. Vicars, who acted in an advisory capacity. Mr. McKay was taken suddenly ill during the voyage, and was seen by an Auckland specialist on the vessel when she arrived. The most important aspect of the conference, said Mr. Goodfellow, was the fact that the United Kingdom had agreed to substantially tax foreign foods, resulting in the complete abandonment of free trade; consequently a considerable burden would be placed on the foreign producer. Secondly, the decision of the Empire countries to reduce duties on British goods would reduce their cost materially and be of general benefit to the community.

Mr. Goodfellow paid a tribute to the ability shown by Mr. Coates in his capacity as leader of the New Zealand delegation. He had done much to uphold the prestige of New Zealand in the eyes of the Empire, and had excelled in maintaining cordial relations during a critical period of the conference. The meat quota was in a large measure due to the personal efforts of Mr. David Jones, chairman of the New Zealand Meat Board, who had been a tower of strength to the primary producers of the Empire. After he has consulted with the Dairy Produce Board in Wellington, Mr. Goodfellow hopes to be able to make a detailed statement of the position of the dairy producers. He was met on the Aorangi by Mr. W. A. lorns, chairman of the Dairy Board. "Manufacturers Not Sacrificed." The fact that the manufacturing interests of the Dominion had been carefully watched was emphasised by Mr. Reid. Though he is not in a position to give details of the tariff adjustments, which are shortly to be submitted for Parliament's approval, Mr. Reid said that the secondary industries would not 6uffer. "The results of the conference were more than satisfactory," said Mr. Reid, "and this does not apply to New Zealand alone. I think steps have been taken which will increase the purchasing power throughout the Empire, and this is really no small achievement. Naturally, a wider and safer market was sought for the Dominion's primary products, but the interests of the manufacturers were not sacrificed. "I think I can say that New Zealand has come out of the conference very well and should certainly share in increased Imperial prosperity. As far as immediate tariff adjustments are concerned, the Dominion is in a very satisfactory position."