BRITAIN'S TRADE POSITION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19205, 23 June 1924, Page 8

BRITAIN'S TRADE POSITION

IR LLOYD GEORGE’S SUGGESTION. t\ CAREFUL INQUIRY ESSENTIAL. Pres# Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, Juno 20. Mr" Lloyd George made a curious intervention in the Board of Trade debate, doivering a three-decker oration when tho louse of Commons was almost empty, hough ho had refused to take part in the till dress debate yesterday. Tiro keynote of his speech was _an ippoal for a wide and impartial examinaiion of Britain’s whole trade position. Ho said : “An impartial inquiry will bo nore difficult than it was a year ago refore tho matter was complicated by political prejudices, but we should get the facts and then we can draw our own inferences. The nation is capable of saving itself in an emergency provided it knows the truth. The success of the Dawes report will re-establish Germau credit, and therefore I would like an oflicial inquiry regarding the money market. There is a danger that British capital will be used to re-equip our competitors rather than develop the countries which will be purchasers of our own goods.”—A. and N.Z. Cable. GREAT INCREASE IN IMPORTS. A SATISFACTORY POSITION. LONDON, June 19. In the Hoiise of Commons Mr Sidney Webb, in introducing the Board of Trade’s Estimates, said that owing Jo the development of tho Imperial Shipping Committee it had been decided to pay the chairman. Sir Halford Mackinder (who had received no remuneration hitherto), £2OOO a year. Trade conditions wore considerably more promising than they were last year. There had been a wonderful increase in tho imports—mainly' of the principal raw materials, on which British commerce depended. The exports also had increased. The coal and steel production in Britain tad reached the pre-war figures.—Reuter,