The Star. Delivered every evening by 5 o'clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1919. BRITAIN AND TRADE PROTECTION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 27 August 1919, Page 4

The Star. Delivered every evening by 5 o'clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1919. BRITAIN AND TRADE PROTECTION.

On Monday next certain measures for obtaining preferential rates or duties on the products of the Empire will come into operation in Great Britaim. Other measures are also being prepared, and the new departure must be regarded as of very great importance. Unfortunately the • details of the methods proposed to be used have not heen made available in the Dominions, but those who are conversant with Lord Milner's views upon the ; Empire's future will expect that while he remains at the Colonial Office —a "Department whose duties and activities i are inadequately indicated by the name it bears—British trade for British people will be the motto which he will take as his guide. Lord Milner has set forward his purpose as, firstly, to develop tbe Empire's resources .for their own . benefit; secondly, for the benefit of the British Empire; and, thirdly, for the benefit of mankind. These principles he recently referred to as "the triangle of trade." If we analyse these three we shall find that they not only follow in logical sequence, but that they are of the greatest importance in . these days of changed and changing ideas and relationships. The terrible . struggle through which the nation has successfully passed has swept away many of the misconceptions of the earlier years of this century and the later" years of the last, but it has drawn out into greater prbminence truths concerning the Empire and its mission. Britain has learned how enormously valuable was the part played by the Dominions in the work of war-winning, and the Dominions have learned how futile would have been their efforts had ie not been for the sacrifices of the Mother Country. But while the Empire was for over four years struggling with the dragon of militarism its commerce was suffering severely from the strain, and the position to-day is that Britain is a debtor instead of a creditor nation. The importing of thousands of tons of munitions and foodstuffs into Britain from America and payment being made in gold have made an incalculable difference to the prewar balance and system of international credit, due to British gold becoming too plentiful in America, whose rate of exchange for the British sovereign has reached a' very low point. America, enjoying an advantage of roughly ten per cent in trading values, is obviously in a better position to exploit the world's markets than Great Britain, while she can also undersell the British manufacturers in the Empire's markets unless some meaifs of protection are adopted. There was in the years before the war considerable opposition to anything in the nature, of trade tariffs on imports into Great Britain, but whatever merit the freetraders had in their arguments it may be necesasry to revise those views in the light of the changed conditions brought about by the war. The last five years have proved to the world that the British Empire is in reality a League of Free Peoples—all members of one great family, bound together by the ties of mutual sacrifice, and all cherishing the same high aspirations. Surely no one can object to the members of that family adopting measures calculated to win back to the Empire the commercial pre-eminence which it has for the time lost through its willingness to make the sacrifice to save civilisation. The advantage which has passed to America, who rightly or wrongly did not enter the war until long after an ample casus belli had heen given, will result in her maintaining her position if British commerce is not protected and encouraged during the next few years. Something more than patriotism is, we fear, needed to ensure an equal contest. Again, it is necessary for Great Britain to guard against "dumping" from European countries, and not to open the door to cheaply manufactured German goods to compete against British -manufactures turned out from factories where the workmen enjoy much higher rates of pay and better conditions. Of course, restrictions in the form of tariff hare to be applied with great judgment, and not with the idea of entirely eliminating competition. Nor can it be expected that the taxes on common articles of food will be submitted to, but there is no reason to suppose that the Empire which played such an important , part in winning the war :s incapable of protecting and restoring its world trade, and yet deal fairly with leading competitors. Many British people at the present time would probably be prepared to buy. a British article, even if it cost more, than support the product of a nation which may be making good' use of the advantage it enjoys and endeavoring t» secure the world's trade permanently. But as tiiie passes individual preference for British goods may not be

maintained, and the foreigner who may find hut a limited market at the present time may succeed in the course of the next year or two, if he is permitted to offer his wares at a cheaper price than that charged hy the British manufacturer.