IMPERIAL CONFERENCE TARIFF PREFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 78, 29 September 1930, Page 9

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

TARIFF PREFERENCE

MR. FORBES HITS MARK

TALK TRADE, NOT SECESSION

Cnitcd Press 'Association—lsy Blsclric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, 27th September. ''I trust the demand for a declaration as to the right of secession oxwhatever it is to be will not be pressed or made too prominent an issue at the Imperial Conference," said Mr. G. W. Forbes, Prime Minister of New Zealand. "It may be said the very fact that we are partners "in the Empire implies a right to leave the partnership under certain conditions, but why talk about it? No Dominion wants to secede or is likely to want to do so. If a business firm were to discuss a.dissolution of partnership instead of getting on with its business such talk would hardly help _it or command public confidence." |We are here on. the most important business of bringing the Empire into closer trade relations and improving the feeling between the different parts. Let us get on with that business instead of talking about secession."

SUGGESTED REMEDY

LORD IMELCHETT AND MR. AMERY ,

British Official Wireless. (Received 29th,September, 11 a.m.) : RUGBY, 28th September. A series of recommendations, on the subject of Imperial rationalisation advanced in a preliminary general report have been issued by .the Research Committee of the' Empire Economic Union and'circulated among the Dominion-: delegates to the Imperial Conference. Lord Molchett is" the chairman, of the union, and the Research Committee is under the chairmanship of Mr. Amery, who was Secretary^, for the Colonies, in the iato Conservative -Government.

l; The report sots out' its case for a special stimulation';, of inter-Imperial trade, and gives,; in appendices draft heads of suggested trade agreements betweon the United Kingdom and the Dominions and India. -A general system of tariff preferences is recommended as 'a.means for achieving tho .purpose it has in view, the report declaring that this involves the minimum of international complication", because every nation accepts without challenge the principlo that every other nation is entitled to impose Customs, duties and to troat: preferentially: its own colonies and. dependencies. ■ •