PREFERENCES RETAINED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20722, 15 November 1930, Page 11

PREFERENCES RETAINED.

MR. SNOWDEN GIVES WAY. THREE YEARS' GUARANTEE. APPEAL BY MR. SCULLIN. ! By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received November 14, 5.S p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 13. The Impcrisil Conference at the last moment lias been rescued from tho prospect of absolute economic barrenness anri tbn seemingly impossible achieved, in that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr, P. Snowden, has been persuaded to forget his House of Commons threat to repeal the existing preferences. Tho announcement will probably be made to-morrow that the preferences on Australian wine, sugar and dried fruits will be retained. It is understood that the Australian Prime Minister, Mr. J. H. Scullin, was largely responsible for breaking the deadlock by a dramatic and telling speech, which changed the whole atmosphere'of the conference and brought a realisation of how much a revelation of the unity of the Empire is needed in tho present troubled slate of world affairs.

All guns were trained on the grim Mr. Snowden and once his firmness was shaken all thoughts of attending Mr. R. B. Bennett's tea party at the Mayfair Hotel were abandoned.

Late to-night this persistence triumphed and fi guarantee is most likely to be forthcoming that the preferences will remain for three years, with a parallel declaration from the Dominions of their policy toward Britain. It is quite on the cards that the plenary conference, in its communique, will indicate that the Imperial Economic Committee, in an atmosphere free from politics, will immediately begin a further examination of (he trading possibilities and survey all Empire products, on which a report will be submitted to the special Economic Conference at Ottawa within 12 months.

Mr. Snowden's political purism will be tactfully safeguarded in a British postscript to the report of the general conference, which will set out the present. Ministry's policy against the taxation of foodstuffs. SOCIALIST MOVEMENT. SURPRISE FOR MR. SCULLIN. RECEPTION OF PROPOSALS. (Received November 14, 10.45 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 14. 1 An untouched aspect of the Imperial Conference is mentioned by the Daily Telegraph's gossip writer, " Peter Borough," who says lie thinks that not the least remarkable feature of, the attitude of the British Socialist Government has been the effect produced on the international status of the Socialist movement. The Australian Prime Minister, as the head of a Labour Government, for that* reason was very hopeful that his proposals would receive an especially sympathetic hearing, for it is the boast of Socialists that theirs is a world-wide movement inspired by common aims.

To the astonishment of Mr. Scullin and his colleagues, says the writer, they find that there is only on» political party with which thej could have talked business, namely, the Conservative Party. As one delegate said: "It is curious to think that if a Conservative Government had been in office we would probably have been leaving with some very useful agreed resolutions." LAST DISCUSSIONS. THE ECONOMIC ASPECTS. QUESTION OF PRECEDENCE. LONDON. Nov. 13. The beads of delegations to the Imperial Conference met at 9.30 this morning to discuss the economic aspects of the report on inter-Imperial relations. They disposed of it for submission to the plenary session, but the conference has still not come to any decision, and the report does not contain recommendations. It will be necessary for the meeting to continue throughout the afternoon. The delegates will reassemble at two o'clock this afternoon. It is still uncertain whether the final plenary session will be held to-morrow.

The Dominion High Commissioners in London, as the outcome of the conference, henceforth will be slightly moved up in precedence. They have hitherto followed immediately behind members of the British Cabinet, but in future will precede junior members of the Cabinet, following only the Lord Chancellor and Secretaries of State.

The precedence of British High Com missioners in the Dominions will be do cided between the British Government and the Dominion concerned.