CANADIANS BUSY

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 27, 1 August 1932, Page 7

CANADIANS BUSY

EXPLORING- PROSPECT

CONCESSIONS CONSIDERED

OTTAWA, 30th Julv

The Canadian Cabinet Committee, including Messrs. B. B. Bennett and H. H. Stevens, under the chairmanship of Mr. E. W. Bhodes, Minister of Finance, has nearly completed a careful examination of the tariff schedule, andvis preparing concessions which can be granted to Britain, particularly in cottons, woollens, and steel. There is a growing feeling in Canadian Government circles that Britain is favourably disposed to give preference to wheat, meat, and other primary products.

One of Canada's concessions will probably be the curtailment of Customs officials' authority to fix arbitrary value for Customs purposes which Mr. Stanley Baldwin deprecated in Thursday's statement.

Declining values represented a 54.9 per cent, or £24,000,000 decrease in Canada's export trade for the past fiscal year. The volume of exports decreased only 12.6 per cent, while tho volume of imports decreased 24.5. per cent. If. values had been maintained Canada would have had a, favourable trade balance of nearly £.3,000,000 instead of an' unfavourable balance of £400,000.

Canada and South Africa are holding preliminary discussions as to the possibility of a trade treaty similar to those with Australia and New Zealand.

It is reported that Canada, South Africa, and Rhodesia are asking Britain for a prohibitive duty on foreign copper, giving Canada a preference of 24 cents a pound and Rhodesia £12 a ton. Canada last month lost the United States copper market owing to the new duty of 4 cents a pound.