STANDING FIRM

Northern Advocate, 17 August 1932, Page 5

STANDING FIRM

BRITAIN AND DOMINIONS COMPLEXITY OF ISSUES. PLENARY SESSION POSTPONED. (United Press Association — By EiectrlQ ' - Telegraph—Copyright.) ■: • r (Received Noon.)' • OTTAWA, August 16. The announcement of the postponement of Thursday's plenary session, with the official explanation that certain difficulties will require toother 4S hours, is interpreted as indicating that Canada, Australia 'and.--* New Zealand will not shift their;?. ■ ground. Russian dumping is ‘Can-v : a da’s main problem and the - quota is the chief concern ot Australia and New Zealand.

There yas an atmosphere of relief-■ this afternoon among the Australian, and New Zealand delegates, contrasting with yesterday’s gloom. Although the position has not altered, Britain; _ not having hinted that she is prepar-'' .' ed to surrender to the quota idea, the . ... fact that there is a longer breathing . .; space raises the hox- : es of a mutually satisfactory adjustment. M The postponement, further, is re- _ garded as indicating that Britain does not wish to appear as stampeding the conference with the turn: “We must finish on Thursday and go home.” V ' The official spokesman that there have not been any ultimata -■ ■ throughout the proceedings. ■ ' ' As a commentory of the brevity of „ the official communiques an English correspondent amid laughter, that he had cable from his newspaper “Can you produce any evidencethat 'y the conference is being . held.” Af other asked what would happen if"no".... agreement was reached on Saturday?. The spokesman replied: - see.” ; A Complex Problem. The following outline o'f the commodities for which the dominions wish better treatment from England i in return for the acceptance of-largo quantities of her manufactures shows the complexity of the problem, in ad- . dition to the negotiations with ' Australia, New Zealand and Canada.' 'j South Africa: Fruit, particularly - ■' citrus, also dried and canned Mruit; , wines, tobacco and later chilled, beef."'Y Rhodesia; Metals and tobacco. ' India: An arrangement 'for mutual''". interchange of steel products ahs ■ ’

cotton goods, which both manufacture. . Newfoundland: Wood pulp, paper

and fish, particularly cod and herring. The Irish Free State is making no overtures at Ottawa for solution of the trade prbolem. Tension and Expectancy. There was an atmosphere of growing tension and expectancy when,-. Laeeording to the British official predict tion, today was to be the last working session, allowing tomor* T ->- row for the busy compilations- ofports, and also for the pfepara'tip.n-’xrf'," the delegates’ statements at . Thurs-Iy-day’s plenary sitting. The Present Position.-. The British and Canadians again spent the whole morning endeavouring to thrash out their difficulties. The Australians and Now. Zealanders sumcd the meat problem. Tlfo present. position regarding the principal com* modities is as 'follows:—

Meat: Australia and New Zealand arc urging quantitative restrictions on Argentina beef, and also a duty. Britain may yield a small, quota,-and the bargain may involve her. scrapping the duty proposals. ~:v~: '**’• Wheat: A preference of-: 2/ per quarter is probable. The Australian view is that any preference is not of great value, though it would help the Canadian farmers slightly.

Fruit: A preference,, plus a - months ’ closed season on the. London market against foreign fruit, will probably be granted. - - --- Dairy products: It is anticipated' that there will be no British objection to the proposed duties, : plus qriantila'-At

tive restrictions of foreign ibutten.V-V,J Lumber: It is expected, .that Britain,- -j will increase the preference on lumber to. 10 -or 20 per cent., but-Canada is demanding in addition restriction -up-"" on Russia. Quota is likewise urged by Canada and Australia as the Uest ihethod Aof* dealing with the wheat situation. Britain is at present reluctant to y _ sent. ■ — Hopes Not Realised. '’. >r . The New York ‘/Evening. d?ost” says:—lt would appear that the high hopes engendered by the opening-ses-sions of the conference are Unlikely to be fully realised.- The obstacles- : -to full accord between the bn- a the one hand, ami Britain,, on ..the, „ other, have proved too fprmidajile..ip_. be swept aside in one grand'gestufe""" of good will. On questions -other-™-than those centring on tariffs and trade preferences, the work of the conference is proving even less. _p>rp-_ dnetive. Its currency report in' ef-‘ feet hands the whole problem of the gold standard over to the World Economic Conference, but this is not. surprising. The conference’s action was clearly foreseen/ Not even, the British Commonwealth of Nations can reaclu.acision in such matters independent of." the attitude of the rest of the world. Mr Bennett said Britain and Canada do not yet see eye to eye, nor has' Britain agreed to the principle of the fiuotn, but lie is hopeful of an'early,,, solution. '