BRITISH TRADE.

Grey River Argus, 18 June 1927, Page 5

BRITISH TRADE.

PEER’S VIEWS. (Aus. and N.Z. Assn, and Sun Cable.) LONDON, June 16. In the House of Lords Viscount Elibank moved a motion urging the Government to reconsider the abolition ot the Overseas Trade Department, expressing the opinion that the majority of foreign traders favoured the retention of this most useful Department, costing only decimal one per eent ot their oversea trade. Baron Arnold, supporting the motion, said that the armaments expemhtiue was onlv plaee for real economies. Lord Salisbury said the Govrenment fullv realised the usefulness ot the Department. but it must economise am! could not recede from the Budget po IK Lord Beauchamp, supporting tliJ Government, said the value of the Do partment would be increased, not decreased, bv its amalgamation with the Board of Trade. The motion was withdrawn. , , . . „ Lord Burnham strongly appealed to the Government to give a decided lead to the industrialists in favour of an extension of the Whitley Industrial Council. It was very significant he said, that the trades in which the most bitter and most prolonged disputes existed were without Whitley machinery, which maintained harmony in fifty-six industries.

Lord Cecil said the Government recognised these Councils were a very successful agency for improving industrial relations. No system of co-opera-tion succeeded without willingness on the part of both sides. To attempt to enforce co-operation legislatively would be more harmful than good. Lord Arnold said Labour would not accept Sir A. Steel Maitland s Conciliation Committee, which v.a» a mockery in view of the Trades Dispu.es Bill. The debate was adjourned.