OTTAWA AGREEMENTS

Inangahua Times, 30 August 1932, Page 3

OTTAWA AGREEMENTS

(United Press Assn—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) POSITION OF FREE TRADE MEMBERS OF CABINET RESIGNATIONS UNLIKELY LONDON, August 29. The Morning Post’s political correspondent says: The most Important news Messrs Baldwin and Thomas convey to the King today is, that ratifica--1 tion of Ottawa agreements is not likely to cause resignation of Free Trade •members of Cabinet, whose objectives are regarded as within the scope ol “agreement to differ.” Free Trade Ministers, however, willj probably conduct a campaign against agreements with the Dominions when details are published.

BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND NEW ZEALAND

DATE OP OPERATION NOT YET KNOWN WELLINGTON. Last Nigbt. No definite information is received by the Prime Minister as to when the proposed Ottawa trade agreement as between Britain and New Zealand shall come into operation, but Mr Forbes stated, in reply to a question, that he presumed the first step would be submission of the agreement to the Parliaments concerned for ratification and that, subject to its being endorsed, a date would then be arranged for the new terms and conditions to come into effect. Ratification of the agreement would be one of the matters for consideration during the Parliamentary session and if Parliament concurred in the neW arrangement, legislation would be introduced as requested, giving effect to the preferences set out in the schedules of agreement. The New Zealand agreement contains a provision whereby the Government undertakes to institute an inquiry into the existing protective duties and, where necessary, reduce them as speedily as possible to the level placing the British manufacturer in the position of a domestic competitor. Mr Porbes said the Government did not contemplate making the necessary investigation until the agreement was approved by Parliament. He was unable to say at present what form the inquiry would take and what the scope would be.