TRADE WITH U.K.

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 57, 5 September 1945, Page 9

TRADE WITH U.K.

POLICY OF MINISTER

OBSTRUCTION ALLEGED

An accusation that the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr. Sullivan) had been deliberately trying to block trade with Britain over the years, although the Minister of Finance had promised he would help, was made in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon by Mr. A. J. Murdoch (National, Marsden), who asked the Minister to give the same advantage to Britain as he had given to Australia in the withdrawal of the necessity for Government sponsorship for the purchase of Australian goods. "We have a job to do, and our job is to pass on to Great Britain the greatest amount of trade we possibly can," said Mr. Murdoch. Various Government members had claimed that the Opposition wanted to lift all controls immediately, said Mr. Murdoch. Nobody had said any such thing, but it had been stated definitely that certain controls militated against the general welfare of the community, hampered business and restricted trade. The Industrial Efficiency Act was passed in 1936 with the announced object of regulating industry in the interests of the people. The Government hoped to assist industry by eliminating unnecessary competition and, by way. of subsidies,-grants, tariffs, scientific advice, and so on. The Minister of Industries and Commerce had the following to say: "I realise the Bill raises a big issue. It raises one big fundamental issue in regard to which the public may have some difficulty in making up its mind. The fundamental principle is whether the old law of free competition—may I say cut-throat competition—the law of the jungle and the survival of the fittest is to be the principle that is to obtain in the future, or whether we are to have organisation, ordered industrial life, and application of the best principles of civilisation to the conduct of industry." , Mr. A. S. Richards (Government, Eoskill): What's wrong with it? Mr. Murdoch: The Minister has been carrying that out and that is what we are taking exception to, because it has hampered trade, it's created restrictions, it's created monopolies throughout the length and breadth of this country, and we know perfectly well it has not been a success. BUNGLES IN BUYING. Mr. Murdoch also criticised what he described as bungles in the Minister's buying from overseas. "We say that the sooner we can get back to regular trading and get back to the _ stage when the merchant can do his own buying independent of the Minister— who is a bad buyer—the better it will be for the merchants and for the community generally," said Mr. Murdoch. "We say that the people who do the business are the ones who should do the trading, and we say the time has arrived when the Minister of Indus- . tries and Commerce can let go." He would say to the. Minister-"lbf Customs that he could be a.little more generous also, continued Mr. Murdoch. The Minister had had telegram^rfrom Auckland firms asking to import certain foods from Canada and^elsewhere, but on each occaskrtir'pe»mission had been refused, •' Mr. Murdoch" quoted from the "Daily Mail;' 1 which, ; ;said the Empire was rallying .round Britain and depicted and New Zealand as lifesavers rescuing Britannia. What was the practical issue behind those admittedly fine sentiments? Britain had been supplying New Zealand with necessary funds and had been purchasing the Dominion's produce for a number of years. What did New Zealand intend to do? Britain had goods to sell, and some of the Dominions 'sterling funds could be utilised for their purchase.