WORLD TRADE CONFERENCE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24987, 23 September 1946, Page 6

WORLD TRADE CONFERENCE

UNITED NATIONS DISCUSSIONS INTEREST TAKEN BY NEW ZEALAND (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 20. The meeting in London on October 15 of the preparatory committee on trade and employment of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations Organisation was discussed by the Minister of Finance (the Rt. Hon. W Nash), who said that it had developed from a step taken last December, when the United States Government published proposals for a world conference on trade and employment. Mr Nash, recalled that at that time he had issued a statement outlining the New Zealand Government’s general views of the objectives to be sought by these United States proposals. A preparatory committee was set up by the Economic and Social Council in February. Its purpose was the preparation of an annotated draft agenda for the international conference on trade and employment. The committee consists of representatives of 17 countries, including New ZeaTopics which will be dealt with at the meeting pext month, said Mr Nash, will include the securing of an agreement on the drafting of a charter for an international trade organisatiin of the United Nations and the negotiation of a multilateral agreement directed against barriers to trade, and providing for selective tariff reductions, and dealing also with matters such as quotas, exchange restrictions, subsidies. State trading, and restrictive busmess practices. Mr Nash said the Government regarded these forthcoming discussions on world trade and employment as most important for New Zealand. For some months departments had been making an intensive study of the various proposals to be examined at these meetings, including those which may involve the reduction of tariff rates. This examination is being conducted with full regard to the effect of these proposals on the Government’s policies of full employment, the development of New Zealand’s resources, the control of New Zealand’s imports in order to secure the maximum value in the national interests from overseas funds, and the security and stabilitv of New Zealand’s export trade. The New Zealand Government fully agreed with 4 the general international objective of expanding employment and world trade, but certain aspects of the proposals that had been advanced to secure these results would need very careful consideration of their effects on New Zealand’s economy.

The Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) announced that the New Zealand delegation at the nrenaratory committee’s conference in London next month would be Dr. R. M. Campbell, the De-puty-Comptroller of Customs (Mr J. P. D. Johnson), and Mr G. Laurence, of the Department of Industries and Commerce.