Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1935 THE NEW BRITISH CABINET AND THE DOMINIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 10 June 1935, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1935 THE NEW BRITISH CABINET AND THE DOMINIONS

IT will be noticed that the new British Cabinet differs little in composition from the old, but that there has be?n a fairly complete re-shuffling of portfolios; only one or two members have been drafted out, and one or two new members have been admitted. It will give satisfaction to the Dominions that Mr Stanley Baldwin, who led the British delegation at

at the Ottawa Conference, succeeds to the Premiership, a post which on two former occasions lie has filled with conspicuous success, but it will not be so gratifying to many people in the Dominions that Mr Walter Runciman remains President of the Board of Trade, and that Mr J. H. Thomas remains Secretary of State for the Dominions, for neither of them has shown any groat willingness to treat the Dominions in accordance with the spirit of the Ottawa agreements. True, Mr Runciman had no part in framing those agreements, but he was at Ottawa while they were in course of being framed, and as soon as possible after his return to England lie began to negotiate with a number of European countries, mostly in the northern part of that Continent, agreements which were similar to those framed at Ottawa, and thus greatly reduced the efficacy of the latter, and shattered the principle of “Trade within the Empire,” which had been the slogan which brought the Conservatives so overwhelming a victory at the last General Election. Unfortunately “trade within the Empire” is the last thing Mi' Runciman seems to have thought of, since he has been at the Board of Trade during the last four or five years, for, on the contrary, lie lias used his influence to extend British trade in directions other than those leading to the Dominions. As for |Mr Thomas’s attitude towards the Dominions, it was made clear in a speecli which lie made some weeks ago, in which there occurred the following passage, which we have quoted before, but which will bear quoting again, since it throws light oil the British Government’s attitude towards the Dominions: If I have any preference, it is for Our own people. When Mr Lyons talks of Australian farmers and the bankruptcy court, and Mr Forbes tries to tell that New Zealanders are living on nothing while he himself looks thundering well on nothing. I still remind them there is such a tiling as British agriculture. There is common agreement that Britain must be considered in the matter. . . . Don’t let us be j such blind fools as to dream that we can ignore the great export trade of the rest of the world. You know Joe (referring to Mr Lyons, Prime Minister of Australia, who was present) as well as I do that you don’t mind where ! your wool goes so long as you sell it. It. would be possible to say much in reference to such a speech, but what we 1 said when quoting it was, "That speech, it is presumed, represents the attitude, policy, and feeling of the British Government towards the Dominions, but the warmest supporter of that policy would admit tlxj ineptitude and awkwardness of such a speech.” It was hoped that at the, earliest possible moment there would be a change made in the heads of the | Dominions’ Office and of the Board of

Trade, but Air AlacDonald's Alinistry has ended, and in Air Baldwin’s Alinistry tlie Dominions’ Of lice and tlm Board o! Trade are still in the hands of Alessrs Thomas and Runciman, respectively. Nothing could be more unfortunate for the Dominions, for, as lias been shown, both All- Thomas and Air Runciman have indicated how small is their sympathy for tire Dominions’ economic interests. At the present time, the Prime Alinisters of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia are in England, where they have been attending the ceremonies in connection with the King’s Silver Jubilee. Doubtless they will fully express to the new British Government their views as to reciprocal trade between the Dominions and Great Britain. As we pointed out last week, Air Lyons told a British audience that the meatexporting nations (outside of the British Empire) buy from Britain annually goods valued at 23 million pounds sterling, and that the Dominions (excluding the Irish Free State) buy from Britain annually goods, valued at 89 million pounds sterling. It is hoped that the incoming British Government will talco those figures into serious consideration, because they indicate plainly where Britain's interests lie among the meat-ex-porting nations, and why it is good business for Britain to recognise where the best interests of her manufacturers and exporters lie. The Dominions are among Britain’s best customers, but when they see the Ottawa agreements robbed of their value by Mr Runciman, and mark AL- Thomas’s references to the Premiers of Australia and New Zealand, there may be no need for surprise if buyers in the Dominions begin to turn towards other markets. Mr Baldwin has it within his power to adjust matters, but his retention of Alessrs Thomas and Runciman in the offices, in which they have done so much to injure the economic interests of the Dominions, does not seem to give much hope that their policies relating to trade within the Empire will be changed.