The Dominion MONDAY, APRIL 11, 1932. OUR REPRESENTATIVES AT OTTAWA

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 167, 11 April 1932, Page 8

The Dominion MONDAY, APRIL 11, 1932. OUR REPRESENTATIVES AT OTTAWA

In requesting that tire New Zealand. delegation to the Imperial Economic Conference should be headed by the leaders of the Coalition Government, the deputation representing all primary producing interests showed its appreciation of the paramount importance of the meeting a, Ottawa three months hence, and of the desirability of being represented there by those with full powers and responsibility to speak for New Zealand and make decisions on her behalf. None are in a bette. position to do this than Mr. Forbes and Mr. Coates as heads of a Government recently fortified by a strong mandate from the electors. The producers have therefore rightly taken the view that nothing less than their presence at Ottawa will be adequate to the significance of the issues to be raised there. . The need for sending those armed with full powers to negotiate and decide tan be illustrated by the lack of finality still applying to the trade agreement framed in January last by the Canadian and New . Zealand Ministers of Customs at Honolulu. Mr. Stevens and Mi. Downie Stewart made a tentative bargain but had no power to bind their respective Dominions. The agreement has still to be completed although, by comparison with the number of parties and interests to be represented at Ottawa and the issues involved, it was relatively a small matter. Hence, if effective decisions are to be reached at the Imperial Conference, New Zealand should do as the producers request and send plenipotentiaries/ New Zealand’s delegates should be in a position to answer for her on the spot. Nor should the Dominion’s representation necessarily- be limited to the leaders. Others have special qualifications meriting consideration. Thus the producers suggest that the collaboration of Sir James Parr would be useful on account of the intensive study he has made and the wide knowledge he possesses of Imperial economics and politics. Also Mr. Downie Stewart’s counsel would be valuable on all tariff questions for he is more skilled than any other New Zealand politician in their, theory and practice. * On the Empire currency issue, which has now definitely been raised, his knowledge and balanced mind should again prove an asset. In his Financial Statement last week, Mr. Stewart very properly drew attention to the interlocking of the price level and currency with bur ability to “buy British,” a point on which The Times, London, has seized, remarking that the real problem is how to raise prices. From this brief survey the wide implications of the Conference become plain, as also does the need that the New Zealand delegation should be adequately led and well supported. Those who take a short view may object that a large and expensive delegation grows out of this argument. But a, big occasion should be approached in a .big way. The cost of proper representation will be infinitesimal to what we may gain by it, or lose for lack of it, at Ottawa- From the size and ranking of the delegations already announced by Great Britain and India, there should be no fears that, in what is suggested, New Zealand would be over-rating the importance of the Conference. Rather, it would seem,’ the Dominion has been somewhat laggard, although there are now signs of a general awakening to the potentialities. Cabinet itself has been much preoccupied with domestic difficulties but, with the general policy line of action on these marked out, should be able to concentrate more on preparation for Ottawa. One practical objection to the class of delegation, suggested is that it would entail the absence of the leaders of the Government during the ordinary session of Parliament. But why hold an ordinary session in these extraordinary times? All the business that can be brought forward should be dispatched at once. The result should be that our national house would .be put in as good order as it is in the Government’s power to do. Moreover the country would be relieved of suspense as to the State’s demands on it. If matters were put ship-shape thus, there would be no need for an ordinary session; it would be only a waste of time and money. Parliament’s re-assembly could be postponed until October or November, in ample time to deal with the annual land and income taxing Bills, and timed also for the return of our delegates and for legislative action on whatever may have been concluded at Ottawa.

To sum up in the most general terms, the solution of our problems depends on reducing costs, or raising prices, or a combination of both. The Government’s domestic policy has been aimed at reducing costs, and its Imperial policy should have some effect on prices, through tariff preferences or Empire currency reform, or under the influence of both. It can be seen that the second objective is just as vital as the first and leads toward the same general goal, restoration of prosperity. It therefore behoves the Government to spare no effort to assist in making the Ottawa Conference productive of practical results.