EMPIRE TRADE

Hokitika Guardian, 14 October 1932, Page 6

EMPIRE TRADE

SIFT IN AUSTRALIAN LUTE.

(Australian Press Association.)

(Reoeived this day at 11.15 a.m.) ; CANBERRA, October 14

Criticising the Ottawa agreements, Mr 'Scullin said that Mr Gullett’s declaration that Article 12 was indisperisible to the - condition of- the' Ottawa agreement, would arouse nationwide hostility. No one who believed on tile-night of Australian self-govern-ment wWjld■ accept the conditions laid down.

Mr'Forde, formerly' Minister of Customs in the Scullin Government, said! that 'it was very evident that the Australian delegates were completely outclassed at Ottawa by the British delegates. GENERAL REVIEW OF OTTAWA.

OPINION IN BUSINESS CIRCLES

LONDON, October 13

Anglo-Australian business circles generally express satisfaction with the Ottawa agreements, which they believe ought to be of mutual benefit, but leading meat importers express opinion that there is unlikely to be any great effect on Australian trade in 1933, particularly as the Argentine is permitted tq send the same quantity of chilled beef as hitherto.

Regarding, mutton and lamb, although the imports by Argentine are reduced, it is.' unlikely to have an effect on prioes here, for Argentine shipments are already declining owing to the low prices obtainable, chiefly on account of heavy cold stored stocks of Australian and New Zealand. Tile Federation of British Industries is calling a special meeting of the Empire Committee to discuss the Ottawa schedule.-

Mr Guy Locock, director of the federation, declares th'at a cursory examination of the proposals shows that opportunities are given, to many British industries.

Butter- importers regard the duty of 15s cwt on foreign goods, is likely to be of considerable assistance to the sale of Australian and New Zealand, as it is expected to cause a material reduction in' Argentine, Danish, and other Scandinavian, .imports, which is very essential in view of the large prospective supplies of Australian and New Zealand,, but these are so large that an improvement in prices hardly seems probable.

CUSTOMS- TARIFF ALTERATIONS

WELLINGTON, October 14. The following are the alterations,

.effective day, itt cthc -cuetoms tariff, consequent upon the Ottawa, trade agreement made by the resolutions passed by Parliament:— Goods, produce, or manufactures of the. United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, and ally other part of tile British Dominions except Canada, the Union of. South Africa, Irish, Free State, Newfoundland, or India*—Surtax removed, and duties on ready made apparel, hosiery and confectionery, reduced to .per cent; and silk piece goods made free.

The following, duties are now provided for under the general tariffßeady made clothing, hosiery and confectoinery, 50 per cent; silk piece goods 15 per cent; cocoa beans, fd per lb; raw* coffee, Id lb; rum, 44/- proof gallon, printing and writing paper in large sheets, unground spices, namely cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace nutmeg, pepper, and vanilla, also asphalt and bitumen*, all 10 per cent. Cigars, are now 14/- British preferential, and 16/lb general tariff. All the above are subject to Section 143 of the Customs Act 1913. The primage duty of 1 per cent., and 2 per . cent is abolished on Australian goods imported after October 13. BRITISH TRADE POLICY.

CHRISTCHURCH, October 14. The statement concerning the reduction which Britain proposes to make in her importation of frozen meat from foreign countries, represents one of the most interesting developments of trade within the Empire policy, and is a new and unprecedented step for Britain to take, declared Mr W. Machin, president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand this morning in commenting on the Ottawa pact. “It definitely reduces to a known level the competition of the most formidable rival of New Zealand and Australia in the English market, for mutton and lamb, and frozen beef, and.holds the competition of that rival at this certain figure for a period ol five years. The operations of the quota system applied to meat are new, and results can only be obtained by experience.”