PROPOSALS BY CANADA

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25903, 8 September 1949, Page 5

PROPOSALS BY CANADA

British Exports To America EXPANSION TO BE SOUGHT (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, September 6. Mr Douglas Abbott, the Canadian Finance Minister aiid dhe of Canada’s tlifee representatives to the economic talks with Britain and the United States, said in Washington yesterday that Canada would submit “constructive suggestions” for the expansion of British and other exports to the United States and Canada. Mr Abbott said Canada’s proposals for the expansion of exports to the United States and Canada included “dollar deficient countries” in general. He specifically named India, Pakistan, and Iraq as countries whose exports could be expanded. Mr Abbott said that Canada’s main interest in the talks was to see that a way was found to enable Canada’s good customers in Europe and the Middle East to export to Canada and the United States. He repeatedly emphasised that Canada’s own shortage of United States dollars .was not the result of Canada’s inability to produce

goods and sell them to the United States, but that it resulted from the inability of Canada’s best customers to do this, and to pay dollars for goods which they obtained from Canada. The Canadian delegation did not intend taking any initiative in suggesting that the United States should increase the fixed price for gold, said Mr Abbott. However, he acknowledged that Canada, as a major goldproducing country, would benefit from such an increase. Mr Abbott warned observers against expecting miracles from the Washington conference. “We are still pretty substantially restricting ’imports,” said Mr Abbott, “but the extent to which we might relax or further restrict depends on the solution of the balance of payments difficulties of our customers."