FREE ENTRY TEST

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 25, 29 July 1932, Page 7

FREE ENTRY TEST

TEA DUTY AND INDIA

(British Official Wireless.) (Received 29th July;' 11 a.m.)

BUGBY, 28th July.

Yln Mr. Baldwin's statement ■it was shown that Dominion, goods enjoy a high; degree of free. entry into; the British market. , About 90. per cent, of Dominion goods camo: in free, but Indian goods do not entecf reo; to tliat extent. The fact that 37 per; cent, of India's goods are dutiable on entering Britain is duo to the British duty on tea, which duty is for revenue pnrposos; at the same India, enjoys under,the tea duty a very valuable pro-, fcrence. . -■■ .. ' ; .:-- : ■'. 'Yv. ./'■";.; •'•':■ While the United Kingdom takes-90. per cent, of Dominion goods duty free, and:. only; 30 per cent of foreign; goods duty-free, there is practically no -free entry of United Kingdom goods into the four principal Dominions/ : • While Dominion preference takes the form of a less duty (yet-often a considerable duty) than: on foreign goods, United Kingdom preference takes the form of total remission f duties payable-by foreign goods.: While the visible trade balance in favour of the Dominions was nearly one hundred million pounds on the British trade of 1930, imports into Dominions from, foreign countries were nearly- £350,000,000. : Regarding preferences accorded' by .the Dominions, the statement urges that, if preference is to be of material assistance,' the ■ rate of duty charged should be so graduated as to give to. United • Kingdom ■ products, real assistance, and should: bo fixed for protective purposes no~higher than is 'necessary to give reasonably efficient industry in Dominions a fair chance. ' :','.-■ :- :.--:■ ■■' '.<■■• , is called to tho favourable tariff treatment: which Britain has hitherto accorded to Dominions imports cpijjpetbg with goods-she herself produced. That over half- Britain's exports, go to foreign countries, that she is; highly industrialised, and • that i she hasitwo ; and three-quarter millions I unemployed are f^cts used to empha-' sise the point .that, anything .tending to check Britain's- foreign 'exports must lessen- the purchasing and saving power of .Her.. people, and eo : damage markets on. which' Dominions: SO; largely depend;