TRADE WITH GERMANY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18396, 11 May 1923, Page 5

TRADE WITH GERMANY

RESUMPTION QUESTION. r

AN EMPIRE PROBLEM.

GOVERNMENT DOING ITS BEST.

Reference to the question of; the resumption of trade- with Germany was made by Mr. G. H. Scott, president of the Now Zealand Association of British Manufacturers and Agents,. at the con. plimentary luncheon tendered to Mr. Norman Elmslio, His Majesty's Trade Commissioner, in Wellington this week. , The horizon, said Mr. Scott., -was crowded with problems, but none of them was more difficult than that of the resumption of trade with Germany. . If ever there was a problem which it was necessary to settle by Empire conference, it was this one. It appeared to be absolutely necessary that before resumption of trade took place a conference of Empire Premiers should first discuss and arrange general terms— that would safeguard the Empire's interests; that would give a uniform date for resumption of trade with all Empire units: that would cover the question of depreciated currency and the application of dumping clauses; that would arrange for a board of experts, stationed in Germany, to advise the various Dominions regarding the values, and also in regard to those commodities in which trad© could be safely resumed. Such matters would not interfere with the tariffs or policies of Empire units. An Empire conference should surely analyse, and make very careful investigation into, the general effects on Empire trade before resumption became effective, The Hon. W. Downie Stewart, Minister for Customs, stated that all ho could saxwas that insofar as they supported what the Government, was doing no concurred with them, but insofar as they dissented from what the Government was doing he dissented from them. (Laughter.) Ho could not speak as freely as \ th« chairman had done on those matters; but he realised fully, with the chairman, the very difficult problem that we were up against; and ho could best explain the Government's attitude by a story told of ft certain Judge in New South Wales. He had sentenced a criminal to ten yews' imprisonment, and the prisoner made an earnest plea for mercy, saying that he was very old and did 'not think that he could live so long. "Well," replied the Judge, " you must do the best you can." (Laughter.) And the Government was doing the best it could in regard to the question of Imperial preference and trad* with Germany. *