BRITAIN’S OUTLOOK

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 May 1934, Page 7

BRITAIN’S OUTLOOK

MR. BALDWIN’S REVIEW SLUMP NEARING ITS END [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, May 11. Addressing the Women’s Conservative Association’s mass meeting af Albert. Hall, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, referring fo the Disarmament Confer-

cnee, said that Hie only proposals that held tho Held to-day were those of the British Government for limitation of armaments. Whether they would succeed or not, it was impossible to ■ '■ay. His recent statement in the Commons on behalf of the Govern ment stood, namely, that in the event of no agreement being reached, and particularly if no agreement in the air, Britain would bo satisfied with no less a position in the air than that of equality with the greatest Power within striking distance of her shores. Ho asked his hearers to put the full force of their public opinion behind the Government at the time when it was doing all it could for the peace of Europe and the world, and for the security and honour of their country. Dealing with the • general outlook, he said there was reasonable ground for fresh hope in the steady fall of unemployment among men and women and juveniles. The Government had laid sound foundations, which would require much work and statesmanship to bring to a full fruition. They were satisfied that what had been done would enable succeeding Governments to build a better country and better Empire. Regarding the restoration of the national finances, he said the sacrifices which every class had made, had enabled that postion to be secured. They had seen a full restoration of unemployment cuts, and half of the cuts in other directions, as well as the easement of the income tax. He had every hope that complete restoration of ail cuts would be made before the natural term of the Government had come to an end. On the subject of housing, Mr. Baldwin declared ’ that before the next Government had been in office two or three years, the slump problem, as they hail known it, would be practically at an end. Britain, he proceeded, was dependent not only upon Empire trade, but upon the resumption of international trade. It looked as though some time must elapse before the latter could be obtained. The growing spirit of nationalisation, chaotic exchanges and fluctuations on currency still made it difficult for goods to find their way from one country to another