EXPORTS AND IMPORTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 November 1939, Page 3

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS

PRICE COMPENSATION PLAN.

[PEB PBESfI ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, November 8. A suggestion by the New Zealand Government that, in the event of manufactured goods imported from Britain rising in price by 10 points, the Butisli authorities should review the prices paid the Dominion for its exports, was revealed by the Minister for Marketing (Mr. Nash) in a broadcast address to-night. This question; he said, was still under discussion. _ “The prices of our exports are important to oiir farmers; but they aie also important to New’ Zealand, because the proceeds of oiir expoits aie used to pay for all the goods we import, and if the price of imported goods goes up, then New Zealand can buy fewer imports,” said Mr. Nasn. "It was this which was of some concern to the Government, and that is why we suggested, in the initial stages of the negotiations, that if the price of British manufactured goods which were. imported rose by 10 points, then the British Government should reconsider the prices we were getting for our exports. This matter is still being discussed, and several cablegrams have gone to the High Commissioner in. London (Mr. Jordan) for him to talk over the matter with the British authorities. “We have pointed out that New Zealand would be in a very disadvantageous, position if we .sold exports at agreed prices, which is being done, and were then compelled to pay abnormally high prices for all imports. We pointed out that the difficulty would be partly overcome if we. could be assured of essential commodities at agreed prices also. This is a matter on which finality is still to be reached.”