THE DEBATE OPENS

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12009, 11 December 1924, Page 5

THE DEBATE OPENS

MR MACDONALD CRITICAL WILL FOOD BE TAXED? Renter's Telegram. (Received December 10. 10.10 p.m.) IXJNDON. December 8. In the House of Commons tbe mover of. the Address in Reply Was Mr R. G. KUis (Con.), and tire seconder Lord i lialniel. Both emphasised the ieiport- ; efice of improving inter-imperial trade, j Mr Remedy Mhcdonald. Leader of j the Opposition, said the .first product j of the ’Government was a King’s Speech of extraordinary length and very little !an beta nee. The Government had no' ! policy in regard to food prices and I wfrioultiirfe. . . . He asked how tho ’Government was going to submit the 1 case. of -tic Geneva Protocol to the Dominions. Was there going to be a special Dominions Conference, ahd, if so. would the international conference oh armaments he postponed? RELATIONS WITH EGYPT. Mr Macdonald urged that he time ought to he. lost in coming toau agreement with Egypt in regard to future Aagfo-Egyptian relations. Any arrange<rent must be assented to by the Egyptian Parliament. Ha asked if Mr Baldwin was going to rUh Imperial preference without a tea on food. “Are we going to have tinhed salmon again?” (Laughter.) .Mr Stanley Baldwin, replying to the criticisms of Mr Macdonald and Mr Lloyd George, Said the Government Would have been foolish to rush into acceptance of the Geneva Protocol without the fullest investigation, in conjunction with the Dominions. . . . Tho Government had not decided on tho length of time over which the Singapore works would be spread. I- was communicating with the Dominions in regard to the question of contributions t, tho cost of the work. PLEDGE WILL BE KEPT. In reference to protection, the Prime Minister said lie adhered to his previous statement that, while he would uflploy the Safeguarding of Industrie, Act to safeguard efficient industries ii which a great amount of tmetniiloymert Was due to unfair competition, h( would not introduce protection durinJ this Parliament, nor use the Safeguard lfig of EMaslries Act as a means to fih trodden it. ’ Hie debate proceeded along the generql lines, and was adjourned till tomorrow. . The House of Lords agreed to an Address n Reply.