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Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 60, 8 September 1933, Page 6

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COMING OF PROTECTION

MISTAKES OF OTTAWA

LLOYD GEORGE MILITANT

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, August 5.

Mr. Lloyd George, who a year ago predicted every evil from the adoption of Protection, startled tho House of Commons last week by demanding allround tariffs, including on© for meat. In an interview with tho "Sunday Times" he had something to say about Government subsidies on Dominion produce. "If we are to have tariffs," he said, "follow Joseph Chamberlain's policy, with liberal preference to the Dominions. Ottawa produced, many mistakes, and there is going to be a very great row about it. I predict that the outcry will come no later than next year, when oven farmers who are Conservative in politics will be loud in condemnation. "Instances of Ottawa's mistakes present themselves continually. I had a man from Covent Garden here —ho is a big buyer—and came to look at my fruit. He told me that Dominion apples are coming into the Garden subsidised 4s 6d a crate by Dominion Governments. What can the English grower do about that? My neighbour, has a chicken farm, but his eggs arrive at the market dearer than eggs- which have travelled thousands of miles. . And another farmer friend of mine in. Devonshire tells me that butter from New Zealand is sold in London 50 per cent, cheaper than'ho can sell it at his farm.

"Now, here is tho ugly feature of it —Dominion apples, eggs, and butter are priced much higher in their own country than here. Who can justify that? J. H. Thomas says he 'is going into it.' I wish him. well—and warn him that the sooner tho better."

Mr. Lloyd George outlined his policy. " 'Back to tho Land' should be a State movement. The State should advance money in the same way that a good landlord used to put up buildings for his tenant. We have better men in agriculture and horticulture in this country than in any other country'in the world. "Use these men, I say, for the country's good. I took tho advice of a man in Kent about my'fruit trees. To that same man come growers from British Columbia, California, . and all parts of Europe. Let his talents be available to all our own farmers. Another man in Aberystwyth knows about the reconditioning of land; another in Surrey about soils. . Use them and train others. Tho experimental station, at Bothamstcd is doing good work, but its scope 'should be increased and increased. Having fostered the exports and disseminated their findings, the produce should be advertised so that everybody in the country knows what the countryside is doing."