EMPIRE TRADE

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 176, 13 April 1923, Page 5

EMPIRE TRADE

STEPS TO SECURE EXTENSION URGED CO-OPERATION WITH THE DOMINIONS

UNEMPLOYMENT AND EMIGRATION

BY TELEGBAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION. —OoPybioht. London, April 10. In the House of Commons, in Committee -of Supply, Viscount Edu am. (C.) moved a resolution asking' tho Government to take immediate steps to secure the fullest extension of trade within tho Empire ip co-operation with tho overseas authorities. He said that great harm was being done to the Empire by continued delay in dealing with Empire tiade. The time for pious resolutions at the Imperial conferences, which had not been acted upon, had gone by. The Empire could be made entirely self-sufficient in foodstuffs and raw material with a surplus for export. They would be criminal if they did not ensure the Empire’s future after the lessons of the war.

Britain's Export Trade. Sir Philip Lloyd-Graeme, President of the Board of Trado, in replying, expressed his approval of the motion, which embodied the very objects of the forthcoming economic conference. The deficit in export trade had been reduced from 35 per cent, at the beginning of 1922 to 20 per cent. If we were to cure unemployment we must not only wipe out the deficit, but add something more, and that could nowhere be so well done as within , the Empire. In the present economic condition, h® said, America was finding it difficult to do an export trade. This was a vital moment when our merchants should find a way into markets where American competition had been keenest. With a closer study of the conditions of the Dominions’ markets we could greatly increase the amount of trade wtih them. They would take up at the Imperial Conference the whole question of co-ope.ration with the Dominions and State Governments in the Dominions, and also consider the possibilities of extending preference. Diplomatic Eolations with Russia. Mr. A. Short (Lab.) wondered to what extent the pockets of the taxpayers would bear the cost of the schemes foreshadowed by Sir Philip Lloyd-Graeme. The Labour Party generally /supported the motion, because they were interested in tho progress and development of tho Empire, as much as any other section of tho House. Ho urged the Government to re-open, and complete diplomatic relations with Russia. Cutting off 130 millions of people could not be to the mutual advantage of either country Colonel Wedgwood (Lab.) did not believe that tho unemployment problem would be solved by migrating people to the various parts of the Empire. Ths solution lay at home in getting the people back to the land. Dr. Chapple, from the Liberal benches, made a spirited plea, for emi "ration, vigorously dismissing the Labour Party’s objections to this policy. Empire Settlement Act.

Captain Ormsby Gore, Colonial Un-der-Secrbtary, replying to the debate repudiated the idea that the Empire Settlement Act. had been put forward as a solution for _ It was a partnership, arrangement designed to ensure that people went to th® Dominions under the most humane and favourable conditions. The Imperial Economic Conference was being summoned primarily to discuss how far immigration could be improved and various - forms of assistance be given to trade with the Dominions. The motion was negatived without a division.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.