EMPIRE OUTLOOK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 234, 3 October 1935, Page 12

EMPIRE OUTLOOK.

MR. DICKIE'S WARNING

LONDON CONFERENCE HINTS

FUTURE LEVIES OR QUOTAS

;; (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, • Wednesday. Fresh from the Empire Parliamentary Association Conference in London, Mr. 'H. G. Dickie (Government, Pa tea) was able in' the House of Representatives to-night to throw some light on produce market conditions in England, and he warned New Zealand to be careful in deciding who should represent the Dominion at future negotiations if wo were to escape levies or quotas when new arrangements were made. ''What has been actuating the British people in recent times," he said, "is fear of starvation in the event of another war." He went on to describe the supersubmarines that, had been built by Germany, which would make another Avar far more terrible than" the last. The pacifists and peaeo lovers, when they heard what Germany was doing both in respect to sea and air forces changed their attitude entirely and a great effort was made to increase production in the event of a blockade. Mr. Dickie said that owing to the clogging of the wheels of commerce by tariff levies, exchange rigging and other conditions British shipping was having a bad time, and he indicated that delegates to the Empire Parliamentary Conference were warned against retaliation in rcspcct to foreign ships owing to the trade which was being carried on by British ships with foreign ports. The question of the Matson Line running to New Zealand was brought up at the conference. In an endeavour to produce more from the!, land in England, the member for Patea said, milking cows had been increased by a quarter of a million and the milk output increased to the extent of twelve million gallons per month. Forty per cent of this was converted into dried milk, butter and cheese. The latter brought only threepence per "pound, but that was on account of not having, the same experience as New Zealand. There was not the slightest doubt that levies would be imposed 011 foreign produce, with some preference being accorded Empire imports. The position would have to be watched closely if New Zealand did not wish that to happen. Referring to Australian trade, Mr. Dickie said New Zealand had an adverse balance of £2,000,000, and he advocated cutting out as many Australian imports as possible. "What was happening was that Australia was importing from other countries with New Zealand money. Ho touched on fencing wire, saying that New Zealand was importing goods from Australia that should be bought from England. The trado agreement with Australia needed overhauling and anomalies corrected. There was no benefit to New Zealand in purchasing from Australia when Australia would not buy from New Zealand.