TARIFF QUESTION

Grey River Argus, 29 April 1932, Page 6

TARIFF QUESTION

NEW BRITISH POLICY Liberals Hostile NO FOOD TAXES. Au.w N •/ r 9 hlr Axir.y LONDON, April 27. In the Commons the Budget cau-ou Ha interesting Liberal levolt again-! the Government upon the issue whether e\<essi\ ■ power was given to tl«<Import Duties Advisory Comm Live, when it was permitted to authorise the Treasury to remove goods from the -free list and make them liable to duty. The < uestioa whether additional food taxes could be imposed, was the chief point of rhe discussion, several Liberals expressing the opin ion that the Commons was only able to say ditto to the decisions of the committee, when these had been ap proved by the Treasury. On a division on a Labour amend incnt, seventy-two voted against ;’ iGovernment, including .Sir 11. Samuel, Sir D. MacLcan. the Libera l whips, and in addition several Simonites The Commons, by 395 voles t.A 7 ‘-’. gave the Advisory Commit tee power to recommend duties on foreign meat and wheat. The meat and wheat vote was taken lon Mr Attlee’s amendment io main tain wheat and meat permanently on | the free list of imports i The resolution was carried by 283 to 56 votes It was announced iit the Commoutthat the Government share the view of the Import Duties Advisory Com mittee that duties imposed by the recent order should not in general, be reduced in the next twelve months [ Major Colville, in reply to a question added: “In the general interests of the United Kingdom trade, however, some modification may be found c.< pedient, even within that period if ii should prove possible to secure in return important, reductions in foreign duties, which promise substantial advantages to our export trade.” Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister said he wain constant touch with the varied trad interests and different groups in the colonies, and was in communication with all the Colonial Governors on t possibilities of the extension of trade etween the Dominions and Vie Co ies. Mr J. H. Thomas informed Mr Grenfell that it was not intended to hold the Imperial Sugar-cane Research Con ference in 1932. Consideration wa.i now being given to the allocation of funds to give effect to the recomendutions of the last conferenr.r* In reply to Mr Maxton, Mr Thomas said that the object of the Ottawa Conference was fully to examine means whereby inter-Impenal tradt will be maintained and extended. H hoped that one of the piost valuable results would be an increase in cmployiXent throughout the Empire.

WOOL TEXTILES LONDON, April 27. Replying to the wool textile manufacturers z request that the dntv imposed under the Abnormal tions Act, should be maintained, the Imports Duties Advisory Committee , states it is not prepared at present to recommend any increase in the level of the protection now afforded the industry as a whole. N.Z.-CANADIAN TRADE. VICTORIA, April 27. “The treaty gives Canada a distinct advantage over non British countries,*' declared Premier Tolmie. “It is a splendid thing to see we are becoming more Empire-minded in trade purchases, giving aid to sister Dominions. Canada will be richly rewarded tor closer trade association with both ■ New Zealand and Australia.” British Columbia business interests unanimously endorsed the treaty. The lumbermen, fish-cannera, and fruitgrowers are particularly pleased. The latter believe that they can capture the New Zealand apple and pear market. OTTAWA DELEGATES. BRITISH LABOUR ADVISERS. LONDON, April 27. The General Council of the Tracif

Union Congress appointed Mr Brom- I ley (Chairman), and Mr Walter CH - i rine (general secretary) as advisers | to accompany the Government dele-1 gation to advise on industrial ques- > tions at the Ottawa Conference.