HIGH TARIFFS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 261, 3 November 1932, Page 9

HIGH TARIFFS.

WORLD ON WRONG ROAD. MB. COATES' FRANK COMMENT UNEMPLOYMENT IN AMERICA. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) . WELLINGTON, this day. When replying in the House early this morning to the debate on the Customs Act Amendment Bill, Mr. Coates made reference to the arguments of the deputy-Leader of the-Opposition, Mr. Savage, that trade with" such, "lowstandard" countries as India would eventually reduce New.Zealand.to the same low level.' ■..'•'•

Mr. Coatee said that high tariffs were no guarantee of the maintenance of living standards. To take the case of the United States, it was estimated that the number of is unemployed this winter might reach between 25,000,000 and 30,000,000. "I don't subscribe to the view," he added, "that high tariffs will blaze the road to prosperity and the maintenance of the standard of living. What is the use of a standard of living if everyone is unemployed ? "I doubt whether we can hope for any improvement !in the general position until we have world trade. It was to break down the barriers between nations that the British Empire came to an understanding, embracing one quarter of the world's population."