TRADE RELATIONS IN EMPIRE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 183, 1 May 1936, Page 11

TRADE RELATIONS IN EMPIRE

Gradual Change Predicted PITFALLS FOR DOMINIONS TO AVOID By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received April 30, 10.40 p.m.) London, April 29. Taking the larger view of Empire trade relations, Mr. S. R. Beale, president of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce, at the annual meeting, said his personal view was that it would be unreasonable to expect anything but a gradual and continual change. He agreed that there would be dislocation if tiie Dominions were suddenly to encourage an increase in manufactures beyond their economic powers while Britain suddenly increased agricultural production at a high cost, but experience showed that every young country found it necessary to develop manufactures. “Let us hope that all Dominions now realise the risk of raising the cost level unduly by high tariffs and uneconomic manufacture,” he said, “but if this pitfail is avoided the general result of economic manufacture in a new country is au all-round rise in the standard of living, an increase in the demand for manufactures and a general increase in world trade.” The problem was to control the change as gradually as possible, then there would be less of the present dislocation and more future prosperity.