TRADE BOYCOTT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 4 September 1934, Page 5

TRADE BOYCOTT

THE COTTON DUTIES PRECIPITATE ACTION INADVISABLE (United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 4th September, 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, 3rd September. A joint committee of the, Manchester cotton trades organisation made a statement that it is willing to consider purchasing Australian cotton. Cotton trade leaders conferred with the grocers urging that precipitate action is inadvisable. , , Tlie northern council of the Grocers Associations is specially meeting to-mor-row to decide whether to suspend the boycott pending the Commonwealth’s promised reconsideration.

TALK OF REPRISALS

AVOIDANCE DESIRED BRITISH PRESS COMMENT LONDON. 23rd August. The British Government will make direct representations to the Commonwealth Government regarding the Lancashire protest against the cotton duties through its representative at Canberra, Mr E. T. Crutchley. It is understood the British Government shares Mr S. M. Bruce’s perturbation concerning the outcome ol reprisals for the proposed boycott. “Conversations between England and Australia should reduce to its true proportions the indignation at Australia’s cotton duties,” says the “Scotsman,” in a leading article. It adds: “The threatened boycott would serve little useful purpose and would he bound to create a feeling which it is desirable to avoid. It is unfortunate to have the protest at- election time, when Australian Ministers probably lack the time and temper to make' any adjustment.”

“Mr Brace’s reply to the Lancashire deputation, was an ingenious invasion of the' main issue, which is simply whether the Commonwealth has not broken its Ottawa pledges,” says the “Manchester Guardian.” “Mr Bruce's defence was that an independent Tariff Board had recommended the duties. This assumes that the Government has surrenrered tariffmaking to an independent body,- but the curious fact is that many of the board’s recommendations in the last 12 months, including recommendations for reductions, have not -mt been implemented, 'while those adopted have mainly been recommendations of Increases.

“The hoard, for ah' impartial body, seems to do pretty well for the Australian manufacturers.”