EMPIRE TRADE.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19668, 11 July 1929, Page 9

EMPIRE TRADE.

DEBATE IN HOUSE OF COMMONS. REPEAL OF M'KENNA DUTIES. CONSERVATIVE AMENDMENT DEFEATED. ftnfJTBB »RES 3 ASSOCIATION —BY BUtCTBIC TBLBOBAJU—COPTBIOHT.) (Received July 10th, 8.40 p.m.) LONDON, July 10. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jlr Philip Snowdeu, replying on the debate on the Conservative amendment to the Address to the Throne, gold that was no analogy between the McKenna Duties, which were imposed for a specific purpose during the war, and the Safeguarding of Industries Duties. It was upon that fact that he would base the right of th« Government to make no announcement as to the date when they proposed to deal with the repeal of the McKenna Duties. As to whether or not those Duties would bo repealed in the next Budget, the Opposition would get no satisfaction. Mr Snowden, continuing, said there was no justification for the Opposition's charge of uncertainty regarding the McKenna Duties. They were introduced for a special national emergency •ttd Conservative Chancellors had repeatedly emphasised their provisional character. The Conservatives did not give notice of their intention to reimpose the Duties after their repeal in 1924, but everyone knew that if Labour was returned the Duties would be repealed. In every constituency where Safeguarding operated the Protectionist was either beaten or there was a heavy vote against Safeguarding. If there was uncertainty in certain industries, this was blameable on those who imposed the taxes, as it was inseparable from tariff policy. The Government were most anxious to promote the closest trade relations with the Dominions and every part of the Empire, but they did not helieve these relations could be placed on the best footing of mutual advantage by a system of preferential tariffs, and least of all by such proposals as had been put forward with recklessness by Lord Beavorbrook. Mr Joseph Chamberlain had stated that there could not be Imperial preference without a tax on food and raw material: to that policy the Government would never subscribe. Food Duties. He hoped that when he left office he would have swept away all food duties, including those on sugar and dried fruits. The preferences on those would naturally go too. He meant to enquire into the difficulties of sugarproducing in the Colonies, but would not assist them by tariffs. ..... "We have no intention of abolishing the Empire Marketing Board," he said, "we want prompt and close commercial relations with everv part oi the Empire. Wo have held out the open band and we are at present communicating with the Dominions to see if it is possible to hold an Imperial economic conference and see what we can do to extend inter-Imperial trade. The development of trade with Australia, New Zealand, and Canada must be slow. With India it is different, where there is an increase in the people's purchasing power due to the enormous addition to trade " Mr Amery's Speech. Mr L. S. Amery (Conservative) exS reused the opinion that Mr Snowden id not appreciate what Empire trade meant. The Dominion's preferences to Britain amounted to £14,000,000, and Britain's preferences to the Dominions to only £2,000,000. Her best purchasers were within the Empire, and 91 per cent, of her exports which went to countries within the Empire were manufactured from the viewpoint of treating employment. Britain could better afford to cut herself off froin the whole of the outside world than from the Empire. Conditions to-day were infinitely more favourable for closer Empire union than ever before. "Britain may not be able to get complete Free Trade within the Empire," M said, "but let us take steps to bring Hi nearer to that when the disposition to meet us half-way is stronger than wer." He appealed to the Government to approach the Imperial Conference with » free hand. The liberal Vote. Mr Walter ttunciman (Liberal) said industry as a whole had gained little or nothing from the Safeguarding Duties. They had complicated industrial machinery and clogged up the warehouses and quays in some Dorte. It was most aurpraing that so many Conservatives rtil! thought the volume of trade could U increased bv taxing it. When an industry depended on artificial assistance it was bound sooner or later to ha*« a catastrophe. The only way industry could hold its own was by potting' its own house in ordei. Rationalisation would lx> far more effective than any temporary tariff. All wanted doner trade within the Empire, but many believed that preference would do »ore harm than cood. If they had to proceed along lines of taxation as a Means of binding the Empire there would be a gloomy outlook for the fatnre. He welcomed Imperial Conferences. Mr 11 unci man added that if the European countries had lowered instead of increasing their tariffs after the »»r there would be more prosperity wwywhere to-day. Hitherto they had wwer been satisfied with anything less wan world trade, and it was world **ade they wanted to-day. Captain Wedgwood Benn (Labour) wing spoken, the amendment was I*ptived by 340 votes to 220 r The Liberals voted solidlv with the Governfltent. Fortv Conservatives did not ywte.—Australian Press Association, waited Service.

VOTING DIVIDED. DISUNITED CONSERVATIVES. (Eeeelved July 10th, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, July 10. the size of the Government's majority after their first division in ttt House of Commons, and the numW of Conservatives who did not vote, *»»« ed a B tir in the lobbies. It « «*rnea that a group of the younger Vj>Mervativei deliberately avoided the wi»ion as an expression of displeasure « the way the leaders had handled the ™»te and the divided voices wbereJ™ 1 they spoke. It was urged that «• Conservative leaders should get to- ■«*» and settle a policy before the «« election, and that in the meanr* e th «y should not expose their dif-