NEW POLITICAL PARTY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20496, 22 February 1930, Page 11

NEW POLITICAL PARTY.

EMPIRE FREE TRADE.

ORGANISATION BEGUN.

INTEREST IN THE COMMONS

COMMENT BY CHAMBERLAIN

By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright,

(Received February 21. 9 5 p.m.)

British Wireless

RUGBY, Feb. 50

Much unrest is displayed in political circles in the recent announcement by Lord Beaverbrook that those persons who are responsible for conducting his campaign in favour of Empire free trade have decided to form a new political party.

The newspapers state that in the lobbies of the House of Commons the project was much discussed yesterday. But the Times says there is no tendency at present to treat the new movement very seriously. It points out that the few Conservative members 'who have publicly expressed sympathy with. Lord Beaverbrook's ideas have been equally emphatic in declaring their loyalty to the Conservative Party.

"They have no present intention of inviting open conflict with the group whose professions agree very largely with their own," says the Times, "but they are certainly not disposed to secede from their old allegiance." Lord Beaverbrook states that he has been inundated with messages of good wishes for his new party, which intends to proceed at once to organisation by local centres.

The Daily Herald suggests the possibility of a new policy being advanced by the Conservative Party, whose pronouncement against food taxes in the interests of agriculture is regarded by the Empire free trade party as precluding the development of the Empire as an economic unit on the lines advocated by it. The Herald suggests that the Conservatives. while adhering to their decision not to tax foodstuffs, might undertake to produce legislation prescribing that all bread sold in Britain should contain a proportion of British-grown flour. The Herald says it believes this would placate the leader of the Empire free trade party. Sir Austen Chamberlain, addressing the Conservative Women's Conference at Birmingham, referred to the announcement made by Lord Beaverbrook regarding the formation of the new United Empire Partv, which favours free trade within the Empire. Sir Austen moved a resolution assuring Mr. Baldwin of the loyal support of his leadership, and expressing hearty approval of the policy he had laid before the country recently.

Sir Austen said that while he viewed Lord Beaverbrook's movement with much sympathy, he did not think it a practical policy at the present time. "If it were possible by any act of ours to secure that economic unity of the Empire, to treat the Empire as one within which no tariff barriers or protective duties should interfere with the free course of Imperial trade, there is no sacrifice I would not think well given, in return for so great a boon to our country, and in our Imperial interests.

"It is, however, ldie," continued Sir Austen, "to pretend that such an ideal is realisable or near the possibility of realisation."