The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1929.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 December 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1929.

INDUSTRY AND UNEMPLOYMENT. The British Motor Manufacturers, who stand for an industry of great impoitaiice and value both to producers and wage-earners at Home, have appealed to Mr J, H. Thomas for assistance in enlargng their markets and meeting foreign competition. As to the extension of markets, it is possible that Mr Thomas might with advantage have quoted to the delegates certain extracts from Lord D’Abernon’s recentreport on South American trade, which condemns British exporters for their reluctance to break through established traditions and conventions so as to attract more customers. But as to the request for the continuance of the tai'iff against foreign cars, the Labour Cabinet lias already expressed its dislike of the McKenna duties and all other forms of protection so vigorously that there is little to he gained just now by advocating an expedient so

little likely to find favour in the. eves of the party now iii power. But Mr Thomas' is not to be allowed to discharge his duties by 1 simply striking a negative attitude: 1 Following'on this appeal, lie was asked in the House of Commons • whether, as Minister in charge of Unemployment, he proposes to ‘‘develop and encourage the export vtrade’.’ as a remedy for the depressed condition of tire labour market. Mr Thomas, in his reply, stated, as he has often stated before, that “the only real and permanent remedy for unemployment” lies in the extension of Britain’s trade abroad and at home. This answer, says ail exchange, should help to emphasise tho conviction which Mr Thomas has already e. pressed that there is no shoit and easy way to the ittninment of bis goal, and that the heap nostrums so enthusiastically advertised by many popular demagogues ire in his eyes absolutely' ineffective ind futile. But while this view of the unemployment problem must be approved by all who' have considered the .natter seriously and dispassionately, Air Thomas has.given very little definite indication of the. course that he means to follow to a.Wove his purpose, (t is difficult to see how a larger share :>f Britain’s home market can be secured for the British producer without imposing some restriction on tlie foreign imports that compete with him i there. And, considering the steady decline in the proportion of British goods s. hi abroad in recent years, it is not easy to imagine how Britain’s standing in foreign markets can he improved unless she can offer some substantial concession to foreigners cy way of exchange. But the principles of Free Trade positively forbid Britain to levy duties so as to restrict foreign competition, and they positively prevent her from supplying herself with the most effective means to bargain with her foreign rivals, or, in the last resort, to threaten retaliation upon them. How Mr Thomas imagines that under such conditions he will be able to enlarge materially the markets for British goods it is not for us to say. But it is most unfortunate Unit at this critical juncture the Labour Government should announce officially that it completely repudiates Imperial Preference thus discouraging the development of British trade in those colonial markets which are already of inestimable value to Britain and which offer her the one encouraging prospect, of recovering the ground that she has lost else where.