TRADE NEGOTIATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23351, 17 November 1937, Page 11

TRADE NEGOTIATIONS

BRITAIN AND AMERICA EARLY MOVE PROBABLE NEW YORK, Nov. 10. (Received Nov. 16, at 11.30 p.m.) ■ Mr Delbert Clark, a member of the New York Times Washington staff, in an exclusive article, says:— " The British and American discussions for the purpose of deciding whether negotiations for a reciprocal trade agreement should be attempted have entered an extremely active phase. They are proceeding simultaneously in Washington and London, but have not yet reached a definite point. However, the prospects of success in the trade discussions are considered so favourable that some quarters believe the announcement of the official opening of negotiations is imminent. "The British Cabinet recently took up the subject directly, whereas the Board of Trade was previously acting. Important exchanges followed, with Mr Cordell Hull giving the matter his personal attention. There is considerable optimism in both Washington and London. Britain during recent weeks has been .consulting the dominions. The issues presumably will require modification of the system, but not the principle, of Empire preference in order to enable Britain to provide concessions to American agricultural products. . "American concessions to Britain are expected to be chiefly concerned with manufactures. However, apart from the trade advantages, the move would be politically significant, indicating closer collaboration between Britain and America, and it is logically destined to bear fruit in many directions.