POT LUCK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23002, 1 April 1938, Page 9

POT LUCK

EMPIRE EXPORTS BRITISH MARKET HOME FARMER FIRST CHOICE FOR DOMINIONS REGULATED SHIPMENTS By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received March 31, 0.10 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 31 "Empire producers will have to regulate voluntarily their exports to the United Kingdom or take pot luck with the president of the British Board of Trade," declared Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, M.P., leader of the British delegation, at the Empire producers' conference to-day. The British Government was determined, Sir Reginald added, that there should bo some regulation, and desired that it should be done by the producers themselves.

Sir Reginald moved a long motion the substance of which favoured the principle that Britain should give first place in her home market to the home producer, second place to the Dominions and third to foreign countries. The motion urged the producers to do everything possible to develop intra-Imperial trade and urged that the Dominions should immediately conduct treaty negotiations in order to expand foreign markets, and that machinery should be set tip to regulate supplies to the United Kingdom market from all sources. It was also suggested that there should be a complete revision of the present methods of organisation on an Empire economic and co-opcrative basis. Bargaining Unit Mr. W. W. Mulholland, president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, asked: "Does this resolution mean that we as a conference of farmers approve of local restrictions on Empire trade?" Sir Reginald: This resolution applies only to the United Kingdom market. It was pointed out by Sir Reginald that if they could use the Empire as a bargain unit they could force foreign countries to examine their own fiscal systems. Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith emphasised that the British Government was desirous of bringing about economic appeasement, freer trade and a greater flow of international trade, with the reservation that they were not going to have their industrial population placed out of work by going completely back to the old conditions.

Mr. J. H. Wain, another member of the ■ British delegation, seconding the motion, said the British Government was determined to do something in fulfilment of its responsibility to its primary producers. Australians Critical Australian delegates warmly criticised tho British plan, Mr. T. Bath (Western Australia) fearing that Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith was asking them to take the wrong road. Mr. Bath contended that an Empire policy aiming at selfsufficiency with a restrictive attitude to foreign countries, involving a chain of regulative control, would bo difficult to undo.

The Ron. F. Waite, M.L.C. (New Zealand) said what concerned the New Zealand delegation was whether the British proposals involved quantitative restriction. That point must bo clearly settled in committee.

Discussion was proceeding when the conference adjourned.