OTTAWA DECISION

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11767, 14 October 1932, Page 5

OTTAWA DECISION

BARE OUTLINE FROM LONDON. WHAT NEW ZEALAND IS PLEDGED TO DO. LOWER PRIMAGE] ABOLISH SURTAX ON BRITISH GOODS. MODIFY CERTAIN IMPORT duties. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Oct. 12. A summary of the Ottawa agreements has been released- They provide _thc basis for legislation which has been drafted for submission to the House of Commons immediately it re-assemhlcs on Tuesday. The agreements with all the Dominions lolloiv the same general form Imports from Empire countries into Britain, fall into three classes.— Those accorded entry duty free and subject to revision in three years lienee. Those which are granted preference through the imposition of specific duties on foreign goods; and Those receiving preference in virtue of the ten per cent, ad valorem duty imposed °n foreign goods under tbo Import Duties Act. The first category includes eggs, poultry, butter, cheese and other milk products from Canada, New Zealand. South Africa, Newfoundland and Southern Rhodesia. Foreign goods in the second category include wheat in the grain. 2s per quarter; butter. 15s per cwt.: cheese, fifteen per cent, ad valorem. Parliament will, bo asked to iruuosc these duties, which will be set out in the schedule of the agreements The New Zealand agreement makes no addition to the above list. An undertaking is given by the British Government not to reduce tile existing general ad valorem duty of ten per cent, imposed under the Import Duties Act on a'large list of foreign goods, which is also enumerated in the special schedules to the agreements with the Dominions interested. In regard to the modification of import duties :in the Dominions on British articles, the Canadian modifications apply to some 215 items, while the agreement with .Australia, provides that, subject to the Tariff Board’s recommendations. United Kingdom goods will enjoy minimum preferences graded according to the duties chargeable upon them under the agreement. Australia will limit the export of frozen mutton and lamb to Britain in 1933 to the amount equivalent to that imported during the year ending June 30. last. Britain already enjoys a large proportion of New Zealand's trade and. under the new agreement the Dominion undertakes not to increase tbo primage duty, but to lower it still further and to abolish the surtax on British goods and modify certain basic import duties. South Africa will grant Britain an increased margin of preferences and Newfoundland and India will also giro Britain preference in their imports.

WIDER RANGE THAN ANTICIPATED. GREAT STEP TO WARDS FREE TRADE. LONDON TIMES COMMENT. (U.P.A. by Elec. TW. Copyright.) (Received Oct. 13, 7 p.tn.) LONDON, Oct. 13. Hie Times referring’ to Ottawa, says: “It may be said immediately that the concessions to- Britisli industry in the Dominion markets are more substantial, and cover a wider range of exports than had generally been anticipated. "When the modified duties arc effective a, great step will have been taken towards free trade throughout the Empire. There can be no doubt that the agreements, taken as a whole, du constitute the lowering, and not the raising- of tariff hindrances to trade.” IN SPIRIT AS WELL AS IN WORD. HOW CANADIANS WILL CARRY OUT AGREEMENTS. (U.P.A. hv Eke. Tel. Copyright.) (Received Oct. 15, 7 p.m.) OTTAWA, Oct. 12. In outlining in the House of Commons, details of tile trade treaties made at the Economic Conference, the Prime Minister, Air. Bennett, declared : ‘‘Canada will tarry out her part under the agreements in the spirit in which they were made, and no good Canadians will dare to suggest that any Empire country will be behind us in the recognition of tßose obligations, uo,t evidenced necessarily by the written word, but of the very warp and woof of the agreements we have concluded. ’ HEAVY BLOW TO AMERICAN , TRADE. BIG CANADIAN ORDER GOES TO BRITAIN. IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRIES AFFECTED.

(’CLP.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright.) (Received Oct. 13, 7 p.m.) NEW YORK, Oct. 12. The New York Times Ottawa correspondent telegraphs that publication of the details of the CanadianUnited Kingdom agreements, discloses that the United States’ exports to Canada, normally aggregating many hundreds of millions of dollars annually, will be considerably reduced under the new schedules. Two hundred and twenty-five out of the 262 tariff changes are for the direct purpose of transferring part of Canada’s import trade from the United States to Britain, since they are chiefly of an industrial character, where steel and iron are the basic materials. -

MASS PRODUCTION IN ’ BRITAIN. HORSE-POWER BASIS MAY BE REVISED. ' (IM’.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright.) (Received Oct. 13, 7 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 13. Mr. Percy John .Pybus, National Liberal ALP. for Harwich, speaking at the motor manufacturers’ dinner, said that if the considered opinion of the industry was that the horsepower basis of taxation was acting as a deterrent to exports and preventing scientific mass production, the Government would be willing |to consider an alternative method.

DEARER FOODSTUFFS. BRITISH CONCESSIONS AT OTTAWA. SNOWDEN’S CRITICISM. (TJ.P.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright.) LONDON, Oct, 12. In an article in the Financial News ; Lord Snowden, criticising the Ottawa agreement, says that in order to get illusory concessions from the Dominions, the British delegates agreed to raise the existing duties against the foreigner on a number of foodstuffs.

Australia agreed to limit the exports of mutton and lamb to the United Kingdom to the amount exported for the year ended June, 1932. but Australia can well afford to do this, as those exports were abnormal, and were largely responsible for the fall in price. It is frankly admitted that the restriction on imports of foreign meat is to enable the Dominions to receive a hiigher price at the expense of the British consumer.

in every case the British concessions mean lin increase in the price of commodities, mainly necessary foodstuffs, but in the case of the Dominion-* all the changes give relief to Dominion traders and consumers, and anyone acquainted with the history of tariff boards hi the United States and Australia will have little faith in the impartiality of such hoards, especially when nominated by Mr, Bennett. It is a bit of useless w i u do w-d ressi ng. ' 1

FIRST TO PASS LEGISLATION. EJ.JJ LEADS THE EMPIRE. (U.I’.A. by Eire, Tel. Copyright) SUVA, Oct• 13. Owing to its geographical position. Fiji is the first Empire Legislature to pass legislation implement inn the Ottawa agreements. At a meeting this morning, special preferences (o New Zealand, the United Kingdom. Canada and Hongkong. were repealed. Australia permits Fiji to export: to Sydney and Melbourne about 4100 cases of bananas a month with a duty of 2* (id a cental, instead of Bs formerly. Other preferences are granted according to Lhe Ottawa agreement.*.

WHOLESALE PRICES WILL STAND RAISING. N EED NOT AFFECT CONSUMERS, (U.l’.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright.) deceived Oct,. 13, 10.50 p.m.) LONDON. Oct. 13. Tim Daily Telegraph says: “Now that the schedules arc published in lull, a majority of British industrialists will be surprised to find the Dominions’ concessions as numerous and valuable as they are and that Britain has secured an enormous opportunity for export trade. The Government’savowed intention to raise the wholesale prices of foreign meat will almost certainly be misrepresented as a wicked attempt to make the British consumer pay more. But, if the livestock industries of the world are ruined, meat supplies will shrivel and then prices will soar, so that the poorest meat jwill become a luxury. Wholesale prices can rise a long way without reasonable excuse for advancing the retail prices.” FAIR RETURN FOR CONCESSIONS. The Daily Mail says:

“The agreements will satisfy all here, who believe that it is wrong to take any step to promote trade but a small minority of people within the Empire or benefit British industry by tariff adjustments.

The Morning Post, while suspending detailed judgment, says it finds substantial grounds for confirming its original impression that the net result will be ail increase in volume not only of Empire but ot world trade.

N.Z. CANADIAN TREATY. CANADA WOULD AGREE TO TREATY FOR LONG PERIOD. (U.P.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright.) (Received Oct. 14, , H p.m.) OTTAWA, Oct. 13. Referring to the presence of tlic New Zealand delegation at the- Economic Conference, the Prime Minister (Mr. Bennett) .on Wednesday told the House of Commons that it afforded an opportunity for discussing the extension of the trade agreement between the two countries made m April for a year. He hoped that further negotiations would lead to the conclusion of another agreement oi a long period. AUSTRALIA’S CLAIM. DID BETTER'THAN ANY OTHER DOMINION. COUNTRY PARTY CRITICAL. (U.P.A. bv Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Oct. 14, 1.25 a.m.) CANBERRA, Oct. 13. ’ The ’ Minister for Trade and Customs .(Mr. Gullett) in a 22,000-word, speech in the House of Represen ta-

fives, explained the benefits obtained at Ottawa. He said that those exceeded in range those gained by any other Dominion-

Dr. Earl Page (Leader of the Country Party), attacked certain phases of tlic Ottawa agreement. ’ He said a full disclosure of the tariff schedule way disapopinting. Ho opined that tariff reform was further off than ever. There was little hope of a reduction in the cost of living and production .

new INDIAN GOVERNMENT. ■ MAY FIX ITS OWN FISCAL DUTIES. (U.P.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright.) (Received Oct. 14, 1 a.m.) CALCUTTA. Oct. ,18. The Government of India has released the report of the Indian delegation at Ottawa ’ and the text ot the trade agreement with Britain, which gives complete freedom; to tho new Government of Federal India to determine its own l fiscal policy- It has "caused -great satisfaction.