A BIG EMPIRE DECISION

Evening Post, Issue 25, 30 January 1935, Page 10

A BIG EMPIRE DECISION

In Australia there has been a good deal of public discussion on the big policy issue confronting Dominions and United Kingdom—quantitative restriction of the latter's primary produce imports. Mr, Lyons's departure date on his jubilee trip Home is likely to be altered from March to February, and if this is done the Commonwealth Parliament may face a long session, with the Prime Minister absent, instead of the intended short session (Febru-ary-March) with the Prime Minister -present. Ministers in Australia have betrayed considerable anxiety over the restrictions, while lately on this side of the Tasman not much has been said. At Helensville, however, Mr. Coates touched on the subject in his speech on Tuesday, and remarked that "New Zealand would have to decide whether it would agree to quantitative restriction or not." This remark does not advance the subject much, but Mr. Coates's earlier reference to the London prices of restricted meat and of unrestricted butter suggests that he still thinks restriction the lesser evil. So far as butter is concerned, it appears to be too much to hope that Australia and New Zealand can be found to be in agreement, the former's rapidly-increased' share in the London butter market having been obtained partly by export devices not used here. It therefore seems to be a case of each Dominion bargaining for its own. If this is so, there is no doubt that the' Australians will go to London stripped for the fray. New Zealand also must know its own mind.