PREFERENTIAL TRADE

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11663, 30 October 1923, Page 6

PREFERENTIAL TRADE

REMEDY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT?

AIR HENDERSON SAY’S “NO

Reuter's Telegram. LONDON, October 28. Presiding at a Labour demonstration in Loudon, Air Arthur Henderson, M.P., said that Imperial preference and tariffs, with a large-scale scheme of emigration to the dominions, were being solemnly advocated as the only effective solution of unemployment. But unemployment existed in high tariff countries.

“Imperial preference had not given us an enlarged market in the dominions for our exports, ■which, on the contrary, liaye maintained the same proportion to our total overseas trade as before the dominions gave us preference. The trade of the dominions in British markets has been increasing, in spite of the fact that they have got no preference, or only recently a small preference of one-sixth of the Customs duties imposed on some classes of imports for revenue. • “Unemployment in the dominion® will be intensified enormously by the adoption of a large-scale policy of emigration, which will transfer people to the countries overseas faster than those countries are able to absorb them.” Mr Henderson urged that the British foreign policy should be steadily directed to the political and economic restoration in Europe as a means of restoring trade and industry in Britain ana Europe, but declared that the problem of unemployment would remain as long as the capitalist system in industry continued.

“QUITE IMPOSSIBLE” TAX ON lAIPORTED FOOD

Australian and N.Z- Cable Aaaoclatloß

LONDON, October 28. Speaking at Canterbury, Sir W. Joynson-Hicks said that the Government contemplated spending 50 millions on schemes during the winter for the purpose of relieving unemployment; but, if necessary, it would spend another 50 millions. Ho declared that no Government would dare to allow Germany to dump millions of tons of steel in England while England was finding 50 millions for the unemployed. Mr Bruce wanted to tax corn, wheat, and meat, in order to give preference to the colonies;; but with the present unemployment it was quite impossible to tax imported food and thus possibly to make it dearer. But where taxes existed, the Government wanted to make the preference to the Empire as great as possible.