BRITAIN’S IMPERIAL OUTLOOK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23205, 1 June 1937, Page 2

BRITAIN’S IMPERIAL OUTLOOK

The British Government would do all it could to promote inler-Imperial trade, having due regard to the many interests involved, said Lord Strathcona, Under-Secretary for War, speaking in the House of Lords. Between 1931 and 1836 the percentage of exports of United Kingdom goods to Canada. Australia. New Zealand the Union of South Africa. India, and Southern Rhodesia had increased by 44 per cent., and the imports into the United Kingdom from those countries had increased in the same period by 48 per cent. With regard to Empire migration, the Government, far from regarding it lightly, considered it a most important subject. Lord Strathconn continued. When the occasion arose for the question to be taken up in a serious manner no question of money would bo allowed to stand in the way. The Government would not bo afraid to give a lead at the Imperial Conference It had been suggested in certain quarters that the value of the Ottawa Agreements had been vitiated by the manner and spirit in which the agreements had been carried out in the Dominions. He was advised that the agreements had been operated fairly and reasonably on both sides Considering the varied interests of the Empire it would not have been very surprising if numerous and serious disputes had arisen over the interpretation of the agreements, and it had been . source of wonder to the Government that the agreements had been worked on the whole with so little friction and with such great success.