CONDITIONS ABROAD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20569, 21 May 1930, Page 11

CONDITIONS ABROAD.

UNEMPLOYMENT IN ENGLAND

EMPIRE FREE TRADE SCHEME.

VIEWS OF MR. H. T. MERRITT.,

"The future for New Zealand is just as rosy and full of promise as ever." This is the view of Mr. IT. T. Merritt, a former president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, who returned to Auckland by the Maunganui yesterday after a trip to England.

"Industrially conditions aro much worse in England than they were In 1927," said Mr. Merritt. "Unemployment. h:t3 reached a higher figure, and the extension of benefits under tho unemployment insurance scheme is encouraging malini gering on a largo scale. Previously, a man applying for tho dole had to prova that ho was genuinely seeking work; this condition has now been removed. Tho burden of taxation in Great Britain is very depressing, and there is no indica-t tion that it will become lighter," New Zealand was still regarded with' high favour in England, Mr. Merritt said. Tho general impression seemed to be that any food-producing' country would win out in the end. Industrially, the world was over-producing. Every country wished to be a seller rather than a buyer. Wherever possible still greater production of food products was tho right policy ta pursue. (

The development of the Empire froe trade movement commerced during Mr., Morritt's visit to England. Striking ideals had been held up, he said, but ho did not meet anyone who was able to put for-, ward any suggestion as to how the schema could bo worked. There was rio doubt' that' a policy of Empire free trade would be of great value, but ways and means would need thorough investigation in aU parts of the Empire. "The prominence given to the movement shows clearly that the mind of Great Britain as a mass is working along Imperial lines,," Mr. Merritt said. "The opportunities for Empire development and trade are greater to-day than ever be. fore. The Empire Marketing Board ia still performing a most valuable function, and in England to-day there is a fai; greater knowledge of and demand for Em-, pire goods than was the case a few year* ago."