TRADE TREATIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22348, 20 February 1936, Page 12

TRADE TREATIES

POLICY OF BRITAIN DOMINIONS CONSULTED British "Wireless v ; RUGBY, Feb. 18 : Trade agreements were the subject of a number of questions in the House of Commons to-day. Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, Dominions Secretary, stated that in accordance with the usual prac- * tice the Government had informed the Dominion Governments of its intentions to conduct trade negotiations with Denmark so as to give those Governments an opportunity of expressing their views if they thought their interests wore affected. The same procedure would be followed in connection with any negotiations which might take place for a revision of the convention between Britain and Argentina. The same % assurance was given by Mr. "Walter Runciman, President of the Board of Trade. He said there were a number of commercial agreements with foreign countries which could be terminated by either party during the present year. I\l f. Runciman also announced that the negotiations for a trade agreement with Peru had reached an advanced stage and he hoped they would be concluded shortly. Questioned regarding negotiations for a commercial treaty in place of. the temporary agreement with Russia,, the Foreign Secretary, Mr, Anthony Eden, said he could not agree that there had been any undue delay in considering commencing negotiations for a formal treaty. He assured the House that the position of trade between Britain and Russia, and the possibility of improving it, -were under consideration, and in that connection British claims were continually borne in mind.