DEVELOPING TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 110, 10 May 1923, Page 7

DEVELOPING TRADE

PROBLEM FOR THE EMPIRE

A VICTORIAN IS INDIGNANT.

(DNITBD PRSBS ASSOCIATION.—tOPIMOHI.) j (AUSTRALIAN,- NEW ZEALAND CABIB ASSOCIATION.) (Received 10th May, 1 p.m.) LONDON, 9th May. Mr. J. K. Merritt, of Victoria, in an address to the Royal Colonial Institute upon "Trade within the Empire and how to develop it," advocated, firstly, reciprocal tariffs, meaning thereby the highest, possible preferential tariffs for both Britain and the Dominions; secondly, Press publicity—he complained bitterly that the English newspapers consistently ignored Australia and New Zealand; thirdly, education of the children on Empire matters. He suggested that Britain s annual increase of half a million of population should migrate to Australia and New Zealand, which thereby in twenty years would become the greatest producing countries in ths Empire. In the discussion which followed Sir James Allen advocated the incorporation in the Merchandise Marks Bill, now before Parliament, of the provision distinguishing the products of the Dominions from foreign goods. He did not believe it was possible for Australia and New Zealand to absorb half-a-jnil-lion immigrants yearly—it would be impossible to find them homes and provide them with employment.