BRITAIN’S TRADE POLICY

Evening Star, Issue 21890, 29 November 1934, Page 11

BRITAIN’S TRADE POLICY

EMPIRE AND FOREIGN THE OTTAWA AGREEMENT Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, November 28. In the House of Commons Mr D. J. Colville (Under-Secretary for Overseas Trade), replying to the debate on a Liberal amendment to the Address to the Throne, said that, speaking es one who had been closely associated'in all the trade negotiations with foreign countries, and realising fully the limitations which the Ottawa agreement imposed on Britain, she had not suffered through first securing a firm foundation for Imperial trade. Our exports to the dominions had increased by a total of £17,250.000 since 1932, which was the cause of Jhe restoration of much employment, while our imports from the dominions had increased by nearly £24,000,000, so that it could not be complained that the interests of the Empire had been damaged. The Government, in view of the failure of the world’s economic conference, had negotiated thirty trade agreements with foreign countries and was now negotiating others. The Liberal amendment, which attacked the Government’s interference with private enterprise, was defeated by 358 votes to 25.