RESTRICTION OF IMPORTS.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20899, 5 July 1933, Page 9

RESTRICTION OF IMPORTS.

* PRIMARY PRODUCE FROM DOMINIONS. STRONG VIEWS EXPRESSED. [THE PEESS Special Service.] i WELLINGTON, July 4. Strong views regarding the restriction of imports of primary produce from overseas Dominions into Great Britain were expressed by Mr R. O. Duncan, chairman and managing director of Messrs Willis, Sindall, and Syrett, Ltd., of London, who arrived by the Wanganella from Sydney to-day on a business visit. Mr Duncan formerly belonged to Christchurch, and has lived at Home for the last seven years. In an interview, Mr Duncan said there was no doubt that a great deal of good had been done at the Ottawa Conference from the point of view of the overseas Dominions. In his opinion, one of the outstanding figures who realised the value of the Dominions to the Mother Country was Mr J. H. Thomas, Secretary of State for the Dominions. The National Government was doing its best in a difficult situation; but it was not a brilliant success. There were too many divergent opinions in the Cabinet. The Cabinet members were pulling in different directions, and that was not conducive to harmony. The proposed restriction of a portion of exports of overseas primary produce in order to absorb Continental produce of a similar character for the sake of Continental nations taking a few thousand tons of British coal was simply guillotining the Australian and New Zealand farmers and allowing Britain to continue to be the milch cow of Europe.

Free Trade in the Past. There was no doubt that 80 years ago. Cobdenism, or free trade, was essentially beneficial to British interests. In those days, the wheat prairies of Canada were undeveloped, and the frozen meat and dairy produce export industries of Australia and New Zealand were, of course, unknown. It was essential then for Great Britain to look to the Continent, principally Russia, for its wheat and Denmark and Holland for its dairy produce. Now, however, said Mr Duncan, the overseas Dominions could supply all requirements in those respects, and should consequently be protected and encouraged. The British Empire, in his opinion, was practically a selfcontained nation. Everything that Great Britain required could be procured within the Empire. Mr Mac Donald Criticised. Mr Ramsay Mac Donald was no doubt a well-meaning socialistic theorist; but it would appear that he was making a main issue of management of British affairs by virtue of his extensive travelling on official business abroad. Mr Mac Donald had earned for himself the sobriquet of "Our wandering boy.' There were too many politicians and not enough statesmen in England.