PART OF POLICY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 50, 27 August 1930, Page 9

PART OF POLICY

BRITISH LABOUR PARTI,

DOUBLE PURPOSE IN VIEW

Bulk purchase of foodstuffs has been, part of the policy of the British Lab« our Party for some time past. "Labour and the Nation," the'manifesto which was issued in 1928, contains the statement that in the scheme for bulk purchase of food supplies and raw materials which forms portion of the Labour. Party's agricultural policy, the Dominions and other parts of the British Empire would play an important part. "A Labour Government would provide" j facilities for overseas producers in the marketing of their products in this country, with a view to stabilising prices and eliminating unnecessary intermediaries, whilst it would co-oper-ate in the control and cheapening ot, the food supplies of Great Britin." Section Five of the Agricultural Policy, as stated in. the same document, concerns itself with the elimination o$ waste, and Section. Four pledges the party to endeavour to bring about the1 stabilisation of prices for grain ana meat. ~ In February last, "The Times" reported that the arrangements for th«; Imperial Conference had been completed, and that "one of the subjects likeljj to be brought before the Economic Conference was the possibility of bulk purchase of Dominion products." Representatives of the CanadiangWhoat Pool were to aiscuss with Mr. T. H. Thomas schemes for the better marketing of Canadian wheat in Britain. One of th« suggestions which had been made was that the British Government . should purchase wheat in bulk and erect; el«« - vators for its storage in England (this, it will be seen, corresponds with the . pledge given in the agricultural policy). At the same time, it was stated that the possibility of establishing a similar system of purchase for produce from other Dominions had been examined By, the Departments concerned. _ _ The question was debated m tue New Zealand House of Bepresentatives on 11th August, being raised by-Mr.; H E Holland, Leader of the. Labour, p«ty. The Prime Minister (the Hon. G W. IVbes) stated at that time that the Government had communicated with the Dominion producers and asked their opinion, but that no detad* had been given of the offer and it was im?os*ible to form a definite decision. He would bo interested to hew the British Government's proposals.