PREFERENCES TO CONTINUE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20086, 15 November 1930, Page 15

PREFERENCES TO CONTINUE.

MR SNOWDEN YIELDS. DRAMATIC SPEECH BY MR SCULLIN. ECONOMIC COMMITTEE PROPOSED. (UKITBD PRESS ASSOCIATION —BT BLBCTEIO TELEGRAPH -COPYBIOHT.) IX)NDON, November 13. Tho Imperial Conference has proved that "thirteen" is not unlucky, since at the last moment it has been rescued from a prospect of absolute economic barrenness. The seemingly impossible has been achieved in that Mr Philip i>nowden has been persuaded to forget his recent threat in the House of Commons to repeal existing preferences. An announcement will probably be made to-niorrow that the . preferences on Australian wine, sugar, and dried fruits will bo retained. . It is understood that Mr Scullin was largely responsible for breaking tlis deadlock, by a dramatic, telling speech,, which changed the whole atmosphere of the Conference and brought, to the delegates a realisation of how much unity of Empire was needed in the present troubled state of world affairs. AH guns were trained on the grim Mr Snowden. and once his firmness was shaken all thoughts of attending Mr Bennett's tea party at the Mayfoir Hotel were abandoned. Mr Bennett alone went to fulfil his role as hast. Late to-night, persistence triumphed and a guarantee is most likely forthcoming that the preferences will remain for three" years, with a parallel declaration from the Dominions of their policy towards Britain. It is possible that the Plenary Conference's communique will indicate the "establishment of an Imperial Economic Committee in an atmosphere free from politics which will immediately begin the further examination of trading : possibilities and survey all Empire products, on which a report will be submitted to a special economic conference at Ottawji within twelve months.

VITAL FISCAL PROBLEMS. KEEPING THE EMPIRE WHOLE. (Received November 14th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 14. At the unveiling of James Quinn's portrait of the late Joseph. Chamberlain at the Empire' League 's headquarters, Sir Austen Chataberlain said that Empire fiscal questions were just as vital to-day as when his father had propounded them; Speech-making and flag-waving were insufficient to kjjep the Empire together in days of stress. HIGH COMMISSIONERS' STATUS. PRECEDENCE RAISED. (UKITXD PftloS ASSOCIATION —BT ELECTXIO TSLEOIA-FH —COPTEIQHT.) LONDON, November 13.The status, of Dominion High Commissioners in London as the outcome of the Imperial Conference henceforth will be slightly moved up in precedence. They- have hitherto followed immediately, after British members ,of t}ie. Cabinet, but in future they .will precede junior pritish members of the Cabinet, following only the Lord Chancellor nnd the. Secretaries of State. The. precedence of British H'igh Commissioners in the shall be decided between his iMajesty's Government and the Dominions concerned. EXISTING PREFERENCES GUARANTEED. . LONDON, November 13. ! The British' Government has given Mr Scullin a guarantee for the retention of the existing preferences.