CHANCE FOR PREFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18635, 29 April 1924, Page 7

CHANCE FOR PREFERENCE.

A POSSIBLE MAJORITY. I.ONDON, April 13. Mr. B. Morgan, chairman of the Empire Producers' Organisation, and who has been Trade Commissioner to South Africa a>]d Australia, considers that the MaeDoajild Government is opposed to fiscal preferences of .any form, even for revenue purposes. The promise to submit the Imperial Conference's proposals to a free vote in the House of Commons has been stultified by a declaration in advance that the Imperial and Economic Conferences' proposals will not receive Labour support. Mr. Morgan thinks that a majority in the House of Commons will vote for preferences which do not involve new taxation, and possibly also for fresh, canned, and dried fruits preferences, if strong arguments arc advanced, showing the necessity for a preference in connection i with migration and development schemes. Each item, however, will be closely contested. The most serious aspect of the Government's attitude is the possi i . J that the next Budget will make a reduction of the duties on sugar, tea, coffee and cocoa, without stabilising the money value of existing preferences. Mr. Philip Snowden, Chancellor of the Exchequer, is credited with the intontion of taking a penny in t'ne pound off the sugar duty. A corresponding reduction in the money value of the preference would to the most severe blow to the Empire sugar industry, therefore the Empire Producers' Organisation is forming deputations to .11 'ho parte, •*»*£»• to stabilise the preference at oi.e-sixtn over a period of years, thus removing future uncertainty, and attracting more capital for developments. 1