THE HONOLULU COMPACT

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 9, 12 January 1932, Page 8

THE HONOLULU COMPACT

Some indications of the contents of the New Zealand-Canada draft trade agreement, negotiated at HonoluI "> are leaking out. While East and West were meeting at Honolulu in a violent colour clash (between Americans and Japanese), East and West were also meeting in the. peaceful atmosphere of a trade battle between two units of the.British Empire. Somewhere in a quiet room Mr. Stevens and Mr. Downie Stewart conferred to see whether their countries could escape from certain effects of a general election (Canadian) and" of a subsequent Austra-lian-Canadian agreement, by means of which Australian butter secured a better entry into Canada than New Zealand buttery The Canadian general ejection was won partly by buttering the farrqer, and when Mr. Forbes was in Canada last year the election promises were too fresh; consequently, as Mr. Forbes now explains, the Canadian Prime Minister, Mr. Bennett, "put on the duties without giving us an opportunity of speaking." Before the New Zealand Government again took up the strings, Australia > (through Mr. Parker Moloney, recently unseated) negotiated an agreement admitting Australian butter to Canada "at 14s a cwfc less than New Zealand butter," which position ' (adds Mr. Forbes) "should be righted" through Mr. Downie Stewart's effort. So far, so good. But there is much yet to be disclosed. What benefits in the New Zealand market has Canadian timber secured? It is to be hoped that this meeting at Honolulu between East and West (British East and West) has been Pacific in both senses, and will, be of mutual benefit. At any rate, no one will be lynched, and world peace will not be endangered.