BRITAIN AND DOMINIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20690, 9 October 1930, Page 13

BRITAIN AND DOMINIONS.

ECONOMIC RELATIONS. LABOUR POLICY OUTLINED. WILL DEMAND BENEFITS. By Tclecrnph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received October 8, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Oct, 7. In the course of a speech at the Labour Conference at Llandudno the Prime Minister, Mr. Mac Donald, said Britain's interests were being looked after at the Imperial Conference. Previously he had described Britain as being perhaps too quixotically honest in regard to her war debts. Continuing, Mr. Mac Donald said: "If wo start trade protection of any kind, wo realise the necessity o"f applying it so that Britain shall benefit and not merely again quixotically regard every one's interests except her own. Not a single Dominion Prime Minister would consider us anything but short-sighted fools if we did anything else. "The friendship and understanding shown by the delegates from the Dominions are magnificent. Some of the important delegates have told me they were appalled by the false expectations aroused in Britain by certain newspaper propaganda." Mr. Mac Donald expressed the opinion tlukt if certain transactions of the conference were published it would appear that British industry had lost many chances in the Dominions and in foreign markets by not taking advantage of opportunities.

Referring to the tariff truce, Mr. MacDonald said: "If other nations think they have got us bound and gagged because we are to sign that truce they will soon find they have made a very great mistake. The truce will be signed only in order to allow negotiations to bo begun. If they are not successful the Government certainly will take advantage of its freedom to make the next step imposed by the failure of other nations to meet it."

Describing tariffs as the oldest ideas Mr. Mac Donald said they could not cure the ills of this generation by returning to quack remedies of two generations ago. The Government's policy was a more enlightened one, namely, that of eliminating political boundaries for economic purposes. LABOUK CONFERENCE. BUILDING UP HOME TRADE. ATTITUDE TO TARIFFS. (Received October 9. 12.45 a.m.) LONDON. Oct. S. The most notable speech at the Labour Conference at Llandudno was that of Sir Oswald Mosley, M.P., •who advocated building up the home market. He said a variety of devices could be employed, beginning with import boards and licences. Sir Oswald said he would even, under some conditions, view tariffs without prejudice. At this there were prolonged cheers.

An amendment moved by Mr. J. Maxton, M.P., condemning the Government's unemployment policy was heavily defeated. IMPERIAL AFFAIRS. WORK OF CONFERENCE. EVE OF ECONOMIC SESSION. (Received October 8, 6.45 p.m.) British Wireless. RUGBY. Oct. 7. The plenary session of the Imperial Conference to be held to-morrow will be devoted to economic questions, with particular reference to inter-Imperial trade. The Secretary of State for the Dominions, Mr. J. H. Thomas, will be tho first speaker. Then the Canadian, 'Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers and other delegates will express their views. The sitting will be private, but full reports of the speeches will he issued as soon as possible after their delivery. To-day tho proceedings of the conference were mainly devoted to committee work. The General Economic Committee discussed the standardisation of invoices; the Research Committee dealt with technical questions, including wool research; the Committee on Communications had a preliminary discussion on tho particular problems with which it has to deal, including broadcasting, cable and the postal and news services; and the War Graves Committee examined further proposals for providing additional educational and medical facilities for the families of the ex-scrvico personnel stationed at war cemeteries.

Tho Sankey Committee began the consideration of tho constitutional questions referred lo it for report., including the question of a proposed Empire tribunal and certain aspects of tho nationality question.