THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20722, 15 November 1930, Page 14

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Sir, —The Imperial Conference seems to be a failure from tbe colonial pointy of view. This particularly as regards New Zealand ami her butter. For my part I am glad that my country did not yield to tbe rather one-sided advances made to her. As long as any tariffs at all are levied on British goods imported into the colonies there can be no fair and equal basis for negotiation. If New Zealand and Australia, for instance, had gone to the conference ready to offer a free market for a free market, the Old Country might have been impressed. As it was these countries seemed to have wanted to spin a double-headed coin—to go on mulcting British imports and at the same time to obtain a preference m British markets for their produce. Tomorrow tariff reform will be adopted in Great Britain. Then what will happen ? The "bows and arrows" spoken of by Mr. Baldwin will be cast aside modern weapons and reciprocity in the true sense of the word will arrive. Thus it is quite possible that "tariff for tariff" will be a principle strictly applied by Great Britain, even to the colonies. Meanwhile it is perfectly well known at Home that any concession in the way of preference would quickly be followed by another attempt on the part of New Zealand to control prices. British.