Four International Trade Pacts

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 38, 15 February 1939, Page 5

Four International Trade Pacts

SIGNATURE THIS WEEK LONDON, F0b.13. Four trade pacts, involving six countries, are being signed this week. It was officially announced in Rome that a pact is being signed by Italy and Germany providing for an exchange of goods to the value of £34,200,000 a year, Italy buying coal and Germany foodstuffs, textiles, hemp and silk. The second pact is one between France and Germany. The third, between Germany and Norway, is being negotiated for the transfer to Germany of orders previously supplied by the Czechs from Sudetcnland.

The fourth agreement is that between Poland and Russia, providing for an annual turnover of £6,000,000. Poland is to divide half her exports to Russia equally between coal, textiles and textile machinery. Russia is to purchase 900,000 tons of coal and Poland is to import from 40,000 to 50,000 tons of manganese and much tobacco, furs, cottou and fertilisers. The agreement is based on clearing arrangements. TRADE BY BARTER AMERICAN FARMERS AND GERMANY TORONTO, Feb. 13. The Associated Press Washington correspondent reports that an extensive barter deal between Germany and MidWestern co-operative farm and packing organisations is being negotiated under which lard, wheat and other primary products will be directly exi changed for German manufactures. Germany is prepared to take several hundred tons of lard and 150,000 tons of wheat. Similar arrangements havo already been entered into with California citrus and Virginia apple growers in exchange for German fertiliser. The Secretary of JState, Mr. Cordell Hull, indicated tljat lie did not object to pure barter as Jong as it was not accompanied uy artificial currency devices and did not interfere with his reciprocal trade agreement programme. BRITISH POLICY IN DANUBE STATES (British Official Wireless.) Received Tuesday, 7 p.m. RUGBY, Feb. 14. The policy of the British Governmont is to maintain and as far as possible develop trade between Britain and the Danubian countries and so contribute to the economic situation of these countries, stated Mr. Butler (Undcr-Sedie-tary for Foreign Affairs) in a Parliamentary answer. Mr. R. S. Hudson also informed the Commons in another reply that the despatch of a trade mission to Rumania in the near future was under consideration. Negotiations between the British arid Indian Governments for a new trade agreement had not yet been concluded, but the President of the Board of Trade was able to inform the Commons to day that lie hoped it would be possible to bring the negotiations to *m early conclusion.