TADE DELEGATION

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 35, 11 February 1935, Page 7

TADE DELEGATION

AUSTRALIA'S MISSION

TO COMBAT RESTRICTION

BUSINESS AND PLEASURE

(From "The post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, January 31.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Lyons) is taking with him to London next month a formidable delegation- of Ministers and Departmental officials. Ostensibly the Prime Minister's visit is to take part in the King's jubilee celebrations in May, but the recent discussions and arrangements with Britain about the temporary meat quota strengthened a determination to bring business to the fore and; to hasten, his departure by a month. The personnel of the" delegation consequently shows'that Imperial trade will be the main object of the visit. .': ■ ."; The delegation comprises the Prime Minister; ■ Mr., Thorby, a Country; Party , Minister; Sir Henry Gullets Minister in Charge of trade treaties; Mr. E. F: Sunners, chairman: of the Queensland Meat Board, to represent the meat industry as a' consultant; the chairman of the Tariff Board (Mr: H. McCoriaghy); Mr. A.' C. .Moore, chief tariff officer; Mr. E. McCarthy/assistant secretary, of. the Department of Commerce; Mr.' Irvine Douglas,' Commonwealth' Publicity' .Officer; Mr. F. McKenna, private secretary to the Prime Minister; and Miss M. Grosvenor confidential typist. In addition the Attorney-General (Mr. .Menzies) and tile Parliamentary Secretary ■ for reemployment (Mr. Stewart) will br; in. England' on' private "visits, and will join the delegation whenever 'necessary. •' •■■. ■■. ■' -. •• ;■ ■■ '■.:. " " Mr. Lyons said recently that it was essential that some arrangement should be made to cover shipments of meat for delivery after. March 31 up to the time when, the long-term' meat policy isenforced/ "I feel these discussions will be a preliminary to a full Imperial economic conference later," he added. "The trade discussions, will enable us to deal with immediate problems, such as the long-term policy, for meat exports, and the dairy products clause of the Ottawa Agreement, which expires this year." ■ j, COUNTRY PARTY'S ATTITUDE. ; The Cabinet is thrashing, out the policy that Mr. Lyons will pursue. If the Country Party Ministers had their way, there would be no half measures. Their chief, Dr. Page, Minister for Commerce, who-will-act as Prime Minister during Mr. Lyons's absence, made this" clear in a recent speech. . The Ministerial delegation to London, he said, would fight for an expansion, of Australia's exports to Britain. Australia would ask Britain to obtain all the meat and butter she required from Em« pire sources. For many years, Dr. Page said, Britain's long-range policy had been to lend money to Australia for . building roads and railways to make land productive. If Britain or any other country was going to lend the Commonwealth money -and then set' restrictions on Australia's exports, the result would be chaos and ruin.r : I£ Australia was to restore employment and prosperity and expand her development and production, she must xc« move restrictions to international trade. Only a few years ago Britain had forward a scheme to. spend £34,000,000 in Australia to stimulate production, and . accelerate expansion. - Nothing should be done to prevent' Australia sending, to Britain the goods that had been produced. •' By the saleof goods Australia obtained money to <<pay interest on the money that had been lent and in that way to carry'out"hen contract with Britain. PRODUCTION PLANNED YEAItS '■■■.'• AHEAD. ,: V Dr. Page said the production of beef cattle was planned six or sevea years before the meat. was required, and the' output could not be checked suddenly.. The same thing applied to the dairying industry,' because it took years to reach a given point, of production. Soon after ■ the Government took office, ■ restriction ■ was wanted on the export of calves: ■ This came at a .time of this year when calves were being born, but'as a result of representations the export of frozen calves had been allowed to continue. The Prime Minister's delegation would point out that Australia wanted to.expand and be able' to absorb' the worfc less of England and other Empire countries. r Figures he had obtained from England showed that" five years ago the consumption of butter' in England was 300,000 tons a year. Last year 457,000 tons were consumed, because the people of England had been able to: buy- more of it. Dairying in England-was relatively insigr nificarit. England had to "depend on extra Empire supplies for her butter and meat. Australia would'ask that Britain should obtain all the meat and butter she would require from Empire sources. If all the Governments would back the Federal Government in the fight for no restrictions'on certain industries and to ,make work for people Australia would be able to expand. ■: ~ • ;': CONSULTATION WITH BRITAIN. Mr. Lyons sought to temper these views when in Sydney last. Monday, he said:. "In : recent months there ; has been almost continuous consultation between the British and: Australian Governments on the subject of marketing. Britain has decided upon a certain policy of agricultural development, and there are aspects of'- that policy which may. conflict with what Australians believe to be necessary to the development of their country. What. I desire to emphasise\is that Britain, in. consulting. us, recognises two things: first,' that. we ■ are a selfgoverning nation, with rights of our own in matters of trade; and second, that we are partners in-the'Empire, directly affected.by anything dbne by, other members of that partnership. We have been in constant communication by cable, by telephone, and by, letter.' Now we are going. further,! and very shortly there will be direct personal consultations between representatives of the. two Governments. The twin ideals of nationhood and partnership in the British Empire are not always easy to follow. Sometimes the paths do not' run parallel,. .but conflict Post-war trends have made our course extraordinarily difficult, but we believe all difficulties, by patience, determination, and understanding, can be overcome. When we cease to have difficulties, to meet we shall cease to progress."