EMPIRE TRADE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20701, 26 April 1929, Page 17

EMPIRE TRADE.

SOUTH AFRICA’S SECESSION. The abandonment of the proposed tour of British business men in South Africa is due less to apathy in commercial and industrial circles in England than to general dissatisfaction with the trade policy of the Union Government as revealed by the treaty with Germany (vvrites the London correspondent of the Johannesburg Star). This is the consensus of opinion of manufacturing interests in Britain. Dissatisfaction, it should be noted, is not confined to’ commercial circles, but exists generally among - all classes.

‘Alany people are asking why they should respond to the appeal of the Empire Alarkcting Board to buy South African produce when the Union Government discourages reciprocity. The correspondence files of Trafalgar square in all probability contain some interestin'* communications from people living here in regard to this aspect of the situation. The Times Trade Supplement expresses the widespread feeling when it states that the whole Empire will hope Colonel Reitz is on sure ground in saying he Ims good information that the' Government intends either to withdraw the German treaty or have it considerably amended. Ihe inancial News, in the course ot a leading article, endorses the views of the Federation of British Industries on the German trade treaty with the Union, and suggests that the disadvantages of the treaty outweigh its advantages! The paper contends that the substantial prospects offered to South Africa in the German market arc not at present of any great account, for Germany entered into the compact more as a seller than as a buyer. It infinitely doubts whether South African importers will get better value for their money from Germany than from Britain, and adds that the idea that South African sales in Britain may continue to be pushed with the assistance of the Empire Marketing Board and the proceeds laid out in the main in German goods will turn out to be illusory. The treaty will create a state of things unfavourable to the mutually beneficial commerce prompted by the Imperial preference, and the Union must be the loser.