ECONOMIC ILLS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18968, 5 April 1927, Page 8

ECONOMIC ILLS.

GENEVA CONFERENCE. N.Z. TO BE REPRESENTED. [THE PKESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, April 4. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) said to-day: "The Government have decided to take part ui the deliberations of the International Economic Conference that is be.ng convened by the League of Nations at Geneva, on May 4th next, and have appointed as the lepresentatives of NewZealand at the conference, Sir George Elliot and Dr. Might. Dr. Hight is already in England, and it has been possible to take advantage for the purposes of the conference of Sir George Elliot's contemplated arrival about the middle of Mav. Until Sir George Einot is available, Dr. Hight alone will represent New Zealand. "The conference, the members ot which are to be experts rather than direct representatives of the Governments, is set up for the purpose of a general discussion with a view to investigating the economic difficulties that stand in the way of the revival pi general prosperity, and ascertaining the best means of overcoming those difficulties and of preventing disputes. It '.s clear that any measure that may improve conditions in Europe and facilitate trade will be of advantage to this country, and the New Zealand Government are glad to have the opportunity of collaborating in this task. The agenda of the conference is as follows: — First part: The world economic position; principal features and problems as seen from the point of view of different countries; analysis of economic causes of the present disturbed equilibrium m commerce and industry; economic tendencies capable of affecting the peace of the world. Second part: — 1. Commerce, liberty of trading; (a) import and export prohibitions and restrictions; (b) limitation regulation or monopolisation of trade; (c) economic and fiscal treatment of nationals and companies of one country admitted to settle in the territory of another. 2. Customs tariffs and commercial treaties, obstacles to international trade arising from (a) form level and instability of import and export tariffs; (b) Customs nomenclature and classification 3. Indirect methods of protecting national commerce and shipping (a) subsidies direct or indirect; (b) dumping and anti-dumping legislation; (c) discrimination arising from the condition of transport; (d) fiscal measures discriminating" against foreign imported goods 4. Repercussion upon international commerce of reduced purchasing power. 5. Industry (1) situation of principal industries. Productive capacity, output, consumption and employment; (2) nature of present difficulties in industry, their industrial, commercial, and monetary causes; (3) possibilities of action in the organisation of production (including in particular international in dustrial agreements considered from the point of view of production of the consumer and of labour, their legal position, their connexion with Customs problems), and in the importance of collection and prompt exchange of statistical information with regard to industrial production: Agriculture:— (1) The present position of agriculture compared with pre-war conditions in respect of production, consumption, stocks, prices, and free circulation of agricultural products. (2) Causes of present difficulties. (3) Possibilities of international action, (a) development of and international collaboration between producers and consumers, organisation, including the different systems of co-operative organisation ; (b) continuous exchange of all relevant information concerning agricultural conditions, scientific and technical research, agricultural credit, etc.; (c) development of the purchasing powet of agricultural producers.