Nelson Evening Mail WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1936 EMPIRE CO-OPERATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 7 October 1936, Page 6

Nelson Evening Mail WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1936 EMPIRE CO-OPERATION

IT is reassuring to nofe that the Congress of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire, which is meeting in Wellington, strongly supports “the principle of economic co-operation underlying the Ottawa Agreements,” and “urges His Majesty’s Government, in giving effect to that principle ... to accelerate tariff board procedui'e with a view to eliminating trouble and expense.” The Congress passed a comprehensive resolution containing many suggestions for increasing trade within the Empire, one of which aims at “eliminating the imposition of restrictions on the importation into the United Kingdom of Dominion primary products, while foreign countries are permitted to maintain supplies on a large scale.” Jt was one of the ironies of the Ottawa Conference that no sooner were its resolutions framed and its deliberations finished, than the British Board j of Trade shaped its policy in such a manner as to reduce the Ottawa ! Agreements almost to futility. To-day ; the Empire’s Federated Chambers of ! Commerce express the opinion that, | “The ideal to which a policy of Im- ' perial economic co-operation should he directed is that each partner”—or Dominion —-“should extend to the others all the advantages which c&n be offered at a given moment to the vital requirements of its domestic situation.” This resolution of course includes Great Britain, which within Ihe British Commonwealth of Nations takes the status of a Dominion. Next, it is to be noted that the Congress, as-

sembled at Wellington, has passed a resolution which has as its object the “minimising so far as possible the imposition of restrictions on the importation into the United Kingdom of Dominion primary products.” The Congress further was of the opinion that, when reviewing the Ottawa Agreements, the Governments of the British Commonwealth of Nations “should invite the co-operation of expert advisers, who should be representative of primary and secondary industries and Chambers of Commerce.” Indeed, the Congress supported in a wonderful manner those policies for increasing trade within the Empire which have been so strongly advocated by upholders of the Ottawa Agreements. Of course there have been dissentients. There are still those in England who think that the Dominions’ chief use is in being purchasers of English manufacturers, and that the importation of the Dominions’ products should be restricted, in favour of the interests of the English farmer. It was in reference to such ideas that Mr L. H. E. Bury (Newcastle, Australia) told the Congress that “if the Dominions could not develop their secondary industries they would never develop large populations. While half the population of the United Kingdom was under-nourished, Mr Walter Elliot was imposing tariffs,” and he went on to condemn Britain’s agricultural policy as being against her own interests and “the most disruptive force in the Empire.” It is evident that the business men of the British Commonwealth of Nations have given an excellent lead which the politicians and statesmen would do well to follow.