THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS MONDAY, MAY 7, 1934 EMPIRE CO-OPERATION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21793, 7 May 1934, Page 8

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS MONDAY, MAY 7, 1934 EMPIRE CO-OPERATION

The very brief visit of Mr. 8. M. Bruce to New Zealand is ended. The results of his conference with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance have been dealt with in a public statement which reveals little. It does show, however, that the points discussed, bearing on the marketing of meat and dairy produce will be considered further through the High Commissioners in London, and that the position will be placed, through this agency, before the British Government. Regarding dairy produce, New Zealand was informed some time ago that Britain did not regard quotas as a question of immediate moment. In the absence of any statement to the contrary, it must be assumed that the position is the same to-day. Yet there must be discussion with the British authorities. The meat situation demands it, for the time when the agreement reached at Ottawa is due for reconsideration is now not far ahead. It is not possible to deal with any one commodity wholly in isolation. Meat marketing can be discussed only in the light of principles which can apply equally to dairy produce. Whatever conversations are held the whole subject of Empire trading, and especially of Empire cooperation, must be touched upon to some extent. Though there has been no serious proposal for a second full-dress conference, expiry of the first term of agreement established there necessarily means a review of the Ottawa pacts, especially in the light of later experience and subsequent developments. In view of some of the declarations heard of late about the new British policy for agriculture, it has even to be asked whether the next move is or is not likely to be a retreat from rather than an advance from Ottawa. The examination of recent trends in at least sectional British opinion makes this a point which must be squarely faced.

The official statement says the onrush on to the British market of the world's surplus products has led to the adoption of new and experimental courses of direct concern to Empire supplying countries. Is this a wholly accurate reflex of the position 1 It is a safe deduction from the facts that the policy now ruling is based on the determination, iti those at present shaping British polioy, to plan a revival of British agriculture. In other words, the present situation would have developed whether the market had been glutted or not. The statement adds that it was agreed during Saturday's conference that any policy for the improvement of market conditions must be based on full co-operation between the overseas producers and the farmers in the United Kingdom, with the removal of misunderstandings as the most important part of the task ahead. The principle of this can be fully endorsed. Empire co-operation was the keynote of Ottawa, though it was not there restricted to cooperation between the farming elements in the different parts. At Ottawa, too, there was produced a very important principle, which was given ready agreement that Britain's policy must put the British farmer first, the Dominions second, the foreign competition third. This would be a fair and reasonable basis of co-operation, but the question the Dominions are entitled to raise is how far behind the British farmer they are liable to be put as their second place, or, whether, indeed, in the concentration on them, rather than foreign countries, as disturbers of the market, they are not likely to come third. These points can be raised in the name of Empire cooperation, since it was adopted as the guiding light at Ottawa. The Dominions cannot go to Britain demanding first consideration. They are not entitled to that, but they can, and must, represent their position fairly, in justice to their people and their own future. They can also emphasise the importance of Empire cooperation ais a vital principle, because if it is not observed in an emergency such as this, what is the future of the Empire likely to be 1

While circumstances demand that the Dominions put their own position to the British authorities, they must not forget that co-operation is twosided. They must be prepared to play a reasonable part. At Ottawa it was not suggested that the British farmer was the only party to be considered in any scheme o£ co-operation. One of the main points there was that the Dominions should take British export industry into account, and that the return for such a policy would be a favoured place in the British market for their produce. That aspect of the situation seems to have disappeared since. If, in Britain's view, the Dominions have not stood to the bargains then made, they must prove their adherence to the principle of Empire co-operation by facing the position squarely. To take New Zealand as an example, if there is anything in the tariff policy, or the currency policy, or anything that this Dominion is doing, or leaving undone, which detracts from the goodwill so much to be desired in the British market, it should be discovered and faced. At present this cannot easily be done, because of the uncertainty which obtains. Thern can be little doubt that if it were definitely put to New Zealand that

this should be done, or that should be done, in proper fulfilment of the Ottawa bargains, the representation would have to be given heed. The difficulty is that no particular point can be singled out as that on which New Zealand is not doing her part, and thus is losing favour in Britain The deeply embattled exchange question is an excellent example of this. The position sums itself up, therefore, as one demanding solution by whole-hearted Empire co-opera-tion ; yet it is obscured by uncertainty about the measure in which the Dominions have met or failed to meet the obligations laid down at Ottawa to that end. In these circumstances, discussion of the issue with the British Government, though founded in the first instance on the meat situation, may usefully be extended to a broader consideration of principles and obligations.