TARIFF TRUCE PROPOSAL.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19888, 27 March 1930, Page 11

TARIFF TRUCE PROPOSAL.

♦— CONVENTION SIGNED GENEVA. BRITISH DELEGATE OPTIMISTIC. (BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.) (Received March 26th, 5.5 p.m.) RUGBY, March 25. Replying to questions regarding proceedings nt Geneva in connexion with the suggested tariff truce, Mr W. Graham, President of the Board of Trade, paid that he had taken part in the discussions and he was glad to state that a convention was signed yesterday as as . a Protocol regarding future negotiations for reducing trade barriers. Both documents were signed on behalf of Great Britain. The former w as also signed by ten other countries, and the latter by fourteen. The text of the documents would duly be laid before the House. ' Mr Graham was asked whether his attention had been called to a statement made by the chairman of the Committee that if they had taken the first liositatincr step, that was all thev J, n 'd done. :ind whether that justified fcis optimism. Mr Graham replied: While it is true the convention now signed falls short of tho original draft, it is, nevertheless, in niv opinion, a very valuable document. A member enquired whether these « icuments precluded any step being £ etl bv the British Government to {safeguard any enterprise in this eountrv Graham said: I think the effect will be this—that they do give us a basis on which to proceed to negotiations for a discussion for a reduction of tariffs in Europe, and T believe that this will he of very great importance to the trade of this country.