IMPERIAL AFFAIRS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 95, 19 October 1931, Page 9

IMPERIAL AFFAIRS

BRITAIN AND NEW ZEALAND

MUTUAL PREFERENCE

In an address at a luncheon of the New Zealand Club to-day Major-Gen-eral the Hon. 'Sir Newton Moore, K.C.M.G., M.P. for Richmond in the House of Commons, commented on Imperial affairs.

"Your Government is to bo complimented," ho said, "on the- prompt methods it is taking to ensure that your Budget balances, and New Zeaianders individually arc deserving of every praise for the way in which they have accepted the situation. I take it upon myself to bring you a message of hope from the Motherland. The majority of the people- of the Old Country are utterly tired of the present disastrous system of free imports, and they have now the opportunity to install a Government with a mandate to protect British industry in all parts of the world. By that I mean to ensure to all the Dominions and colonies a proper share in the Home market1 by the institution of Imperial preferences on the widest scale, and I am sure that every follower of Mr. Baldwin will insist on this. . ■y .

LOOKING FORWARD.

'' New Zealand has been unfortunate in the past in that none of the products which she exports receive any benefit under the small measure of Imperial preference which has' operated hitherto. However, I trust!that in the near future exporters of mutton and lamb and dairy produce will bo enjoying substantial advantages in the British market j and, at the same time, I hope, that the preferences already extended to dried fruits, sugar, and so forth, produced in other Dominions, will be made more effective."

"Having1 said this, I feel it desirable to strike here- a note of warning. Although the per capita purchases by Now Zealanders of. British goods are second only to the per capita, purchases by the people of the Irish Free State, Anglo-New Zealand trade, as a whole, has been all in your Dominion's favour. . In fact, .there, has been, an adverso balance against Great Britain of recent years averaging nearly 20 millions upon a total annual turnover of about 60 millions. I think it desirable to point out that the quotation of such figures by opponents of Imperial preference—and although these may be few they are loud voiced—might have unfortunate results. They have indeed gone so far as to suggest that there should, be differentiation in the treatment of New Zealand products in the British market as compared with the treatment of the products of those Dominions which utilised the whole of the credits they establish in Britain to purchase British manufactures, but this would not be approved.

BRITAIN'S TRADE BALANCE,

Tor the purposes of the present political campaign in Great Britain, Conservatives are in the fortunate position of being able to speak of Britain's trade with the overseas Empire as a whole being ' most advantageous. In fact, she has had a favourable balance of over 10 millions annually of recent' years, and that is in striking contrast to the adverse balance in Britain's trade with foreign countries, which exceeds 400 millions a year, and which requires practically the wholo of the profits of British shipping, banking, and insurance services and overseas investments as an offset. I am. aware that British manufacturers in the past did not study1 this requirement of ;tho New Zealand market as they should, but this' has now been entirely altered, and every, effort is liow being made to meet local requirements. The splendid preferences which your tariff gives Great Britain should certainly have warranted more attention by British exporters and I have taken many occasions at Home to point to this fact. However, in your own interests I do' suggest that no New Zealander should purchase any foreign manufactured article until he is satisfied that his requirements cannot bo met in Great Britain, and it may be well worth your while to consider extending the. preferences you already give to the Motherland."