EMPIRE TRADE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22835, 20 March 1936, Page 7

EMPIRE TRADE

BRITAIN’S DAIRY IMPORTS LARGER SHARE FOR DOMINIONS (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 19. The possibility of the dominions receiving a larger share of Great Britain a dairy imports in the near future was welcomed enthusiastically by the Prime Minister when a press cablegram from London on the subject wa a referred to him to-night. The cablegram stated that m connection with the renewal of the Ottawa and dairy products’ agreements, the British Goverument contemplated giving the dominions, particularly Australia and New Zealand, a larger share of its “P?™ 8 / , •‘I think it is splendid that the dominions should be brought closer together in the matter of trade/’ Mr Savage said, ‘•and that the British Government contemplates giving the dominions a larger share of its import market. If we are going to discuss preferential trade within the Empire this ig the sort of thing that , must happen. There is no use talking oi mutual trade witnin the E “P ire .v and „^. e “ working out agreements with other countries. That certainly is not helptul. Mr Savage said the new viewpoint ot the British Government, brought about apparently by the breakdown m the riegotiatious with Denmark and by the latter country’s recent trade agreement with Germany, strengthened his view that there should be permanent facilities for Empire discussions on trade matters. The various countries of the British Commonwealth ought ter be in a position to discusg suen matters at any stage. The of something in the nature of a permanent Sire Council could remove many of the difficulties which were at present enyet clear, Mr Savage continued, whether New Zealand would be invited to participate in the conference on the future of the British dairy market. The belief in the past had been that the whole subject would come up for discussion at the expiry of the British Govern ment’s agreements with Denmark and tne Argentine. Both these agreements exuired this year, but so far no invitation had been received by the New Zealand Government to make any representations regarding the future. It was not known whether some form of conference might be called this year or whether the whole matter might bfi heldl in abeyance until next year, when the Coronation of King Edward and the holding of the Imperial Conference would mean the Presences of a large gathering of Empire statesmen m the situation in Europe overshadows everything, Mr Savage concluded “The British Government has kept us closely informed of all developments, and it seems to me that one result of it all will be that all the countries of the British Commonwealth will be brought closer together.”