AUSTRALIAN CONCERN

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29832, 26 May 1962, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN CONCERN

U.K. Decision On E.E.C. (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright) CANBERRA, May 25. Australian manufacturers would be the first to be pushed to the "edge of the precipice” should Britain join the European Common Market, the Federal president of the Associated Chambers of Manufacturers (Mr J. N Walker) said to reporters today on his return from London and Brussels, where he was an industry adviser to the Australian Government in discussions dealing with Britain’s proposed entry to the Common Market. “A most disturbing feature of the case put forward by Britain was the offer to commence dismantling the 30-year-old Commonwealth preference system, which has done so much to strengthen and develop the countries of the Commonwealth,” he said “For industrial products, Britain’s plan was to commence dismantling this long established trading system in 1965 and to eliminate it by 1970. "As far as Australia is concerned, action of this kind will have the double-edged effect of not only limiting exports from Australia, but it could also result in a reduction of imports into Australia from Britain. “It is quite clear that United Kingdom officials have gravely misjudged, and indeed, under-estimated the extent .to which friendship and pot strictly arithmetical preferences have contributed to the substantial volume of trade between Australia and Britain,” he said.