EMPIRE TRADE CONFERENCE

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28697, 22 September 1958, Page 11

EMPIRE TRADE CONFERENCE

“Results Already Heartening” (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) Rec. 8 pan.) MONTREAL, Sept. 20. Commonwealth Ministers, searching for ways to expand world trade in face of the Communist economic offensive, were heartened today by the results already achieved at the half-way stage of their intensive two-week conference. All delegates are agreed that the highlight of the Commonwealth Trade and Economic Conference so far has been the British announcement of the removal of import- restrictions on a number of Canadian and American goods, consisting mostly of machinery and canned salmon. Britain also held out the promise of lifting the bars to Canadian and American imports of consumer goods beginning next year.

According to the British president of the board of trade, Sir David Eccles, the basic issue before the conference is whether the Commonwealth will be able to show its 650 million people that a democratic system of trade and finance is preferable to the controlled and directed Communist system.

To that end the conference has always decided in principle to support a joint British-Canadian effort to expand higher and technical education in the Commonwealth.

The Ministers will meet again on Monday and will discuss during the coming week the possible setting up of their own development bank or institution. There are differences over the issue, and instead of a bank which would depend almost solely on Britain for its finances, the decision may be taken to explore the establishment of an advisory group which would help decide on Commonwealth development plans.

New Zealand, strongly supported by Australia, yesterday pressed for the ending of agricultural protectionism and dumping.

Canada said: it was prepared to consider ways by which food suroluses might be disposed of without hurting eomniercial markets. Rritain announced, that while it ”ould not agree to the set of principles suggested by Ne.; Zealand, it was prepared to join in discussions aimed at easing the severe strain on the economies of countries such as New Zealand. A. New Zealand spokesman announced that Britain and New Zealand had reached agreement in negotiations to revise their 1932 Ottawa Imperia] Preferences Agreement.

The spokesman said that all major issues • concerning the revision had been settled, but did not give details of the settlement