The Hawera Star. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1933. EMPIRE MARKETING BOARD.

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 2 November 1933, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1933. EMPIRE MARKETING BOARD.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’clock in Hawera, Manaia, Kaupokonui, Otakeho Oeo, Pihama, Opunake. Normanby, Okaiawa. Eltham, Ngaere. Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, To Kiri, Mahee. Lowgarth, Manutahi, Kakaramea, Alton, Hurleyville. Patea, Whenuakura, Waverley, Mokola, Whakamara, Ohangai. Meremerc, Fraser Road and Ararata.

The British Government’s decision to abolish the Empire Marketing Board has called forth more severe criticism in Great Britain than in the Dominions. The Board was set up at a time when the Old Country was not prepared to impose preferential duties in the interests of Empire trade, but wished to promote the purchase of Imperial goods in Great Britain in- return for preferences granted to her own product's. The .Dominions, satisfied that this end had been attained by the results of the Ottawa Conference, concluded that there was no further need for their contributions to the Board, hence the British Government’s decision that it ought not to bear the whole burden of expenditure. The storm 1 of criticism which this has • aroused in Britain reveals two important facts. First, that the reception of goods from Dominions or dependencies is a matter of concern not only to the countries which export them, but to the Mother Country which receives them; the latter fully realises that trade depends on reciprocity. Secondly, public men and the trading community in Britain appear to accept the position that special responsibility rests with her as a sort of clearing-house for the Empire. Just as she is prepared to undertake the main work of Imperial defence and the policing of trade routes, so-, it is felt, she should be prepared to shoulder the special duty of creating a favourable atmosphere for Imperial trade by research work directed from the centre. Only about one-fifth of the funds of the Empire Marketing Board has been spent on propaganda at home in favour of Empire goods; the greater part of the expenditure has been devoted to research work in various parts of the world, to the provision of information useful to farmers and settlers, and the preparation of invaluable statistics. The work done by the Board is helpful, net only to the self-governing Dominions, but to the dependencies in Africa and other parts of the world, whose vast potential resources are-only beginning to be tapped. It is distinctly short-sighted policy on the part of the Dominions to neglect their share in the work of co-ordination, but Englishmen most emphatically contend, that this is no reason why the British Government should withdraw from an undertaking whose importance it should be the first to recognise Criticism evoked by the decision makes it certain that many of the board’s most useful activities will' be continued by other departments. Research will proceed, and surveys, it is believed, will be resumed. The incident shows how keenly the people of Great Britain feel that the welfare of the most distant, parts of the Empire deeply concerns themselves.