EMPIRE TRADE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 16 June 1932, Page 12

EMPIRE TRADE

GOVERNMENT PLANS FOR OTTAWA MR FORBES’S VIEW RECIPROCAL CONCESSIONS TO BRITAIN Increased trade between the countries within the British commonwealth of nations is hoped for by the New Zealand Government as the result of the coming Imperial Economic Conference at Ottawa, and the efforts of the Dominion delegation at that conference will be directed towards that end. This announcement was made by the Prime Minister, Mr Forbes, when he outlined to a Christchurch “Times” reporter the Government’s policy in connection with the Conference.

Already a good deal of discussion had taken place in Wellington between the British Trade Commissioner, Mr L. A. Paish, and the officers of the Customs Department on various proposals which would encourage increased trade between New Zealand and Britain, said Mr Forbes. In addition to that, cabled conversations had taken place between the British Government regarding matters to be dealt with at Ottawa. New Zealand, with one or two minor exceptions, had carried on the discussions through the High Commissioner, Sir Thomas Wilford, and had not had any direct communications with the other Empire Governments. ENCOURAGING TRADE ‘‘The whole point regarding Ottawa is that we are to have a round-table discussion as to how inter-Empire trade may be encouraged and increased,” said” Mr Forbes. ‘‘The whole question of quotas and tariffs will be discussed there. It has always been the policy of New Zealand to do her best to encourage British trade. The very substantial preferences which we have given in our tariff have had that effect and we take about double the quantity of British goods, per head of population, that are taken by Australia and Canada.”

Mr Forbes emphasised that the preferences which New Zealand had already accorded Britain were recognised and appreciated. He recalled that he had stated, at. the last Imperial Conference, that if Britain would extend preferences to the Dominion, New Zealand would not be found wanting in making reciprocal concessions. It was recognised, he added, that it was of the utmost importance that New Zealand must extend her trade as far as possible with Britain, for that country took practically the whole of the Dominion’s produce. CURRENCY PROPOSALS The rrime Minister does not think that much progress will be made at the Conference at Ottawa with the proposal to establish an Empire managed currency, especially in view of the fact that the Prime Minister of Britain, Mr Ramsay MacDonald, has taken steps to summon a conference of the leading nations of the world to discuss currency matters. Anything that w’ould have a beneficial effect would have to be done by the whole of the European nations and the United States of America. ‘‘New Zealand manufacturers need not fear that their position will be damaged by the policy adopted by New Zealand at” Ottawa,” replied Mr Forbes when the concern which has been expressed by the manufacturers was pointed out to him. He said that the Government recognised the importance of the manufacturing industries of the Dominion and what concessions could be given by New Zealand would be recognised as quite as reasonable as could be expected and would preserve the interests of New Zealand industries.

CONSTITUTION OF DELEGATION No fresh developments in regard to the constitution' of the New Zealand delegation have occurred during the period that Mr Forbes has been at his homo. The question as to whether Mr Coates would be one of the New Zealand representatives was still undecided, said the Prime Minister. Tn view of the doubt as to whether Mr Coates will go to Ottawa, nothing lias yet been decided as to who should take the portfolios of Employment and Public Works, continued Mr Forbes. The portfolios of Customs and Finance, which were now held by the Hon. W. Downie Stewart, would be taken over by the Prime Minister during the period that •Mr Stewart was overseas. This had been done when Mr Stewart went to Honolulu to negotiate the Canadian Trade Treaty and the same arrangements as were made then would again obtain during Mr Stewart’s absence.