FOSTERING IMPERIAL TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18897, 20 December 1924, Page 10

FOSTERING IMPERIAL TRADE.

Mr. Baldwin's proposals for the preferential treatment of Empire products in the British market are being criticised for their vagueness, as though he had been expected to produce, as the result of his meditations during a year's freedom from the cares of office, a complete plan for regulating the country's commerce without imposing any tariff restrictions. These objections overlook the fundamental characteristic of the • Conservative Party —its refusal to regard national problems as capable of solution by cut-and-dried schemes that may look very well in an electioneering maniI festo, but so often fail to withstand the test of practical experiment. Parties now in opposition in the British Parliament have shown that <: positive remedies," proclaimed on the platform, do not always enhance the reputation of their authors. In this matter, Mr. Baldwin explained his intentions in general terms for the simple reason that the conditions with which he proposes to deal arc too complex for modification by any simple treatment. Yet within the obvious limitations, Mr. Baldwin was sufficiently specific to reveal the general j method and the ultimate objective of his policy. It is to develop "trado within the Empire," and since ho is unable to employ tho means adopted by the Dominions, preferential customs taxation, he proposes to invite the co-operation of the Imperial Economic Committee in exploring and applying "entirely new and untried ways." He especially emphasised the importance of marketing facilities to expand the consumption of Imperial I in preference to foreign produce, j particularly foodstuffs. Even if i the suggestion has not been immediately appreciated in England, its importance will be realised by over seas producers who have been zealously working toward exactly that objective, and will welcomo tho British Government's co-operation. Much may be achieved by the ex penditure of £1,000,000 a year in the encouragement of "trade within tho Empire," even if efforts are directed only to cultivating among customers the habit of buying Empire goods in preference to those of foreign origin. There are, however, many directions in which facilities may be afforded for the marketing of Dominion produce in Britain, and in practice the Government's policy will probably prove to be a composition of many 'varied activities. The suggestion that Mr.

Baldwin contemplates building huge cool stores on the Thames, in which Dominion produce will receive some advantages, appears to be only a careless speculation. There are in London some 40 stores with a total capacity of 15 million cubic feet, and in the whole of the United Kingdom there is cool storage to the extent of 38 million, cubic feet, equivalent to 268,000 tons of frozen meat, or rather more than one-third of the aggregate capacity of all steamers equipped with refrigerating machinery. In the face, of., such overwhelming competition, even a huge State cool store would be no more than a foolish gesture of benevolence. The overseas Dominions are confidently expecting practical help from Mr. Baldwin's Government in the development of Imperial trade : he is not likely to disappoint them by merely tinkering with the subject.