TRADE WITH CANADA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20898, 13 June 1931, Page 11

TRADE WITH CANADA.

IMMEDIATE TRUCE DESIRED. IMPORTERS' FURTHER STEP. BASIS FOR A SETTLEMENT. A proposed basis for a settlement of the frade and tariff difficulties which have arisen between Canada and New Zealand has been suggested to the Prime Minister, the, Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, by the executive of the Canadian-British Traders' Association (which name has been adopted as a. shorter and more comprehensive designation by the recently-formed Association of New Zealand Representatives and Selling Agents of Canadian Manufacturers). The suggestion made is that negotiations with Canada should be opened on the following basis: —The Canadian Government to admit New Zealand butter on a duty not, to exceed four cents a lb., and the New Zealand Government to revert to tho British preferential tariff on Canadian goods which was in operation prior to August 20 last, this arrangement to come into operation immediately, pending 3 conference between the two Governments to consider a mutually satisfactory reciprocal tariff. The association has also suggested to Mr. Forbes that he should obtain the views of the delegates to the National Dairy Association conference, to be held in New Plymouth on June 23, as to the best to be adopted to ensure a resumption of trade with Canada. "The association's desire is to have trade relations resumed immediately," said Mr. A. B. Thomson, chairman of tho Canadian-British Traders' Association, yesterday. "Tho negotiation of a satisfactory settlement might drag out for six months or a year, and in the meantime a continuance of the present, stale would hurt the farmer and injure importers and Canadian manufacturers." The Canadian Manufacturers' Association, in reply to representations from Auckland, has advised that it has made representations to the Canadian Government along the lines suggested, and will follow the matter up closely. A private message received from a British Columbia firm stated that the Canadian Government already had clearly indicated to the New Zealand authorities its willingness to negotiate. Mr. A. G. Wilson, of the firm of Th. de Schryver, Limited, has been appointed secretary of the new Auckland association. EFFECT OF HIGH TARIFF. MUTUAL LOSS OF TRADE. OTTAWA. June 11. Speaking in the. Budget debate in the House of Commons, Mr. A. W. Neill (Independent) said the present Government, bad fooled away the New Zealand market, and when that Dominion removed the British preference benefits it injured British Columbia fishermen. The prefei>ence of a dollar and a-quarter a case in certain kinds of fish was stopped. That was a. direct result of the eightcent tariff on butter. The Government had been warned from many sides that a tariff of four cents was sufficient, and it must accept the consequences of the eight-cent rate.