EMPIRE PREFERENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18898, 26 June 1923, Page 7

EMPIRE PREFERENCE

ECONOMIC CONFERENCE. VIEW OF GENERAL SMUTS SECURING INTERESTS OF DOMINIONS. Preea Association —By Telegraph—Copyright CAPETOWN, June 24. In the Assembly, General Smuts initiated a discussion upon the agenda for the fartneoming Economic Conference. Referring to reciprocal preference between various parts of the Empire, he declared that preference hitherto had been largely to the advantage of Great Britain rather than to the dominions’ producers. Ho said he was sure that the question of Imperial preference was going to be raised. The position that South Africa would adopt would be to welcome any assistance which the British people could give in the way of preference to South African products. Owing to the British fiscal policy, the field for preference was of the smallest and most limited nature. That was where questions would arise. Australia and New Zealand were going to press more strongly for a very much greater measure of preference being accorded to their products. South Africa was not going to press the British Government to change its fiscal policy, -which was a question that the people of Great Britain must settle, but he was going to point out, from the dominions’ point of view, the large advantages which would accrue to the Empire from widened preference. South Africa, in regard to its fiscal policy in general, would adopt the same line as Canada had done. He emphasised that the development of South Africa would require a very wide expansion of its markets throughout the world. Whatever arrangements South Africa might make at the conference they would not be of an exclusive character. South Africa had at present preference to Great Britain and reciprocity with the dominions; but it might be that in years to come she would have to reshape her policy on different fiscal lines. The door should be left open to develop trade with other countries, and her policy should be reshaped to make it possible to distinguish between countries who treated South Africa badly. He stressed the need ipc better Empire shipping and other communications and properly regulated overseas settlement. He announced that the Government proposed to appoint a Trade Commissioner for the United States and Canada. —Reuter.