EMPIRE TRADE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21853, 25 October 1945, Page 5

EMPIRE TRADE

PREFERENCE PLEA HELP FOR BRITAIN RECOVERY FROM WAR COMMERCE LEADER'S VIEW (11 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 24. Thirteen British Empire Chambers of Commerce, which have been conferring in London, to-day issued a report stating that they unanimously recommended preferential trade within the Empire, It was the desire of all chambers that their countries should increase their imports from Britain rather than from other countries. Britain, it was pointed out, was the best customer of the component parts of the Empire as well as other nations, and her solvency was a vital matter to the whole world. All nations would have to understand Britain’s position as the result of her part in the war. The change of Britain from a creditor to a debtor nation meant that she will have to export at least as much again as before the war. If the talks in Washington fail, it will mean Britain will have to cut down drastically on her imports, which will lead to a lowering of the standard throughout the world, the chambers consider.