BRITAIN ADAMANT

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 39, 15 February 1934, Page 7

BRITAIN ADAMANT

REPRISALS ON FRANCE; Additional Duties in Reply to Quota Restrictions. CONVERSATIONS SUGGESTED. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 14. An order imposing a duty of 20 per cent ad valorem over and above the existing Customs duties upon | certain classes of goods produced or manufactured in France took effect at midnight. ]t was felt after examination of the Note received from the French Government that the contents did not justify the British Government in making any further postponement of the issue of i the order. The French Note professed] a strong desire to break the vicious j circle of reprisals and to open conversa-] tions with the object of effecting an agreed settlement as soon as possible. Also the Note intimated that if the British Government persisted in its decision to impose additional duties, the trade agreements of 182U and 1882, which accord most-favoured-nation treatment, would be denounced, subject to the necessary three months' notice. The Note showed no willingness to end the existing discrimination against British imports into France, which was the main cause of the retaliatory measures by the British Government. The French communication is still under examination in London, and when a reply is sent it will probably intimate Britain's readiness to enter into conversations for a new commercial treaty with France immediately the discrimination is removed.

The subject was reviewed by the President of the Board of Trade, Mr. Walter Runciman, in the House of Commons yesterday afternoon.