IMPERIAL TRADE

Evening Post, Volume 50, Issue 50, 27 August 1926, Page 12

IMPERIAL TRADE

ENGLISH INDUSTRIALISTS'

VIEWS

MEETING DOMINION NEEDS,

Imperial trade and business conditions in Britain formed the material for an address given by Mr. Peter Macgregor, J.P., a leading English industrialist, at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce luncheon yesterday. Mr. J. B. Simpson presided.

Mr. Macgregor stated that after the war Britain was faced with very strange conditions, and people hardly knew what was going to happen. There had been a few years of wonderful prosperity after the war, when prices and the wages soared, and this left England with many problems to solve. "When the slump came, we were inclined to rest on our'oars," said Mr. Maegregor, "and a spirit of apathy set in. The workman decided to retain the wages he had secured without giving the results he should." Mr. Macgregor referred to the Prince of Wales 'a slogan, "Wake up, England," and stated that it was easier to say that than bring all conditions into order at a moment's notice. "But I am a confirmed optimist," said Mr. Macgregor. '' We are not down and out by any manner of means."

In doing business with the Dominions the speaker said they had to take into consideration what the requirements of the Dominions were. Britain endeavoured to give the Dominions what they wanted. In the old days English industrialists did not attempt to visualise the Dominions as they should have done, but during the last few years English manufacturers had shown a disposition to come to the Dominions and adapt themselves to the market.

Mr. Macgregor said he would like to see some of the Imperial Conferences, instead of discussing little things, "get down to brass tacks," and to see some definite trade policy adopted throughout the Dominions. "We should all work on the same lines," he said, "and provide a general tariff to fight interests which are already showing themselves injurious to us. I know it is impossible to Bay 'free trade in the Empire'; revenuo must be raised one way or tho other." Mr. Macgregor referred to the recent general strike, and detailed the measures taken to combat it. "There was a constant cry of wolf! wolf! wolf!" he said, "and when the wolf came we found it was a wolf in sheep's clothing."