SUGAR CONVENTION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8190, 3 August 1912, Page 5

SUGAR CONVENTION

STOTEMENT BY MR BUXTON BRITAIN WITHDRAWS. By Telegraph— Press Association— Copyright LONDON, August 1. Speaking in tho House of Commons, Mr Sydney Buxton, President of the Board” of Trade, announced that Great Britain was withdrawing from the Sugar Convention. In 1901 a convention was drawn up binding uie compacting nations nut to impon sugar from countr.es which granted bounties. This was ratified in 1903, subject to Britain’s refusal to penalise bounty-fed sugar from anv British colony. Russia —n bounty-granting country —was not represeated, and the most important result ol the convention was to shut ofl tho Russian amply from English commercial and_ domestic consumers. At the end of 1937, a protocol was signed at Brussels admitting Russia to tho convention and permittin her to export to European countries not more than 1,000,000 tons wltuin the succeeding five years. At a conference held in February last Russia asked that her exportable quota bo increased to 400,C00 tons per annum, but this was not fully concealed. Her contribution to the supply wilt he 350,000 tons for the current season and 330,000 tons for each succeeding year during tho currency of the agreement. THE QUEENSLAND INDUSTRY. SUGGESTED GROUNDS TO WITHDRAW BOUNTY. (Received August 2, 11.45 p.m.) MELBOURNE, August 2. Mr Tudor, Minister for Trade, has referred questions from the sugar workers in Queensland to tho Federal Arbitratiooi Court, to decide whether the standard of wages and conditions of employment are reasonable, and, if the court holds they are not reasonable, whether the bounty is withdrawable from the employers.

REASONS FOR WITHDRAWAL. (Received August 2, 10.40 p.m.) LONDON, August 2. In the House yesterday Unionists -protested against the suddenness _ of the announcement of Britain’s withdrawal from the sugar convention. The Prime Minister consented to give a day for discussion on the situation. The “Morning Post” says there is one point on which members on both sides in the lobbies are agreed, viz., that the Manchester by-election (where tho Liberals lost the seat) is closely connected with _ the Government’s decision. Unionists, while deploring the decision, emphasize the point that the withdrawal will enable a tariff reform ' Government to give preference to West Indies sugar.