EMPIRE TRADE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23595, 3 September 1938, Page 19

EMPIRE TRADE

AUSTRALIAN DELEGATION DEFINITE ADVANCE REPORTED PROPOSED CHANGE IN POLICY (Per United Press Association) ' AUCKLAND, Sept. 2. "The conclusions reached by the recent conference of British and Australian Ministers in London marked a very definite advance in Empire relationships," said Sir Earle Page Australian Minister of Commerce, when interviewed on the arrival of the Monterey. Sir Earle Page, who is returning after visiting Britain, the United States, Canada and European countries and discussing trade developments, expressed confidence that the latest steps taken, and the proposed change in policy, would result in general benefi. tc the dominions and the Mother Coun try. It was expected that the longawaited trade agreement between Britain and the United States would be concluded before the end of this year and that it would be followed by the liberalising of trade with European and other countries. Referring to the conference, Sit Earle said: "The conclusions reached maintain, and in some respects increase, the advantages of the Ottawa Agreement. "But," he added, "these conclusions go beyono that agreement to state quite explicitly what may have been implied before—namely, that the fundamental basis of Empire trade agreements should be the defence and developmental needs of the various parts of the Empire. Consequently, the main emphasis has now been placed or. the desirability of Australia substantially increasing her population. Thi* is recognised to be dependent on progressive development of sound secondary industries, combined with expansion of primary industries, and this development, in turn, depends upon markets being available. Britain has engaged to help Australia to expand her markets in three directions—in Britain, in Australia and in foreign countries.

"So far as British markets for Australian products are concerned." Sir Earle said, "the Ottawa right of free entry, with preferential margins against foreigners, is continuea, with the added assurance that, subject to the vital interests of the United Kingdom in agriculture and overseas trade, also to the necessity of maintaining remunerative prices while safeguarding interests of consumers and to the absorptive capacity of the United Kingdom market, an extended market and increased opportunities should be given Australian products. To ensure enjoyment of this principle by other parts of the Empire, such as New Zealand, it was agreed that the methods of organisation in regard to beef, which had placed the business organisation of foreign traders at the disposal of Empire countries in assisting the remunerative sale of that commodity, should be considered also for other export industries."