CHANCE FOR DOMINIONS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17237, 17 April 1930, Page 11

CHANCE FOR DOMINIONS

EMPIRE FREE TRADE SPEECH BY MR. McCURDY LONDON', Feb. 2(5. The climax of a stirring speech on Empire Free Trade, which the Hon. C. A. McCurdy delivered to the Delphian Coterie at the Holborn Restaurant last night, came when lie declared:— "There arc some who have the incredible folly to suggest thai the Dominions would refuse to jojln us. dust think for one moment.

. VSupposing wc went to Canada, and said: 'Your wheat pool is in a critical condition. Would if rot be worth something if we offered you a secure market! safe from unfair foreign competition?' And, in return, would if DO unreasonable for them to offer lithe same secure market in Canada for British 1 coal and British steel.' WHEAT AND COAL

"British bottoms would then carry Canadian wheat to Britain, takingback British coal and steel to Canada, and so providing work for British miners and' 'steelworkers now unemployed. ' "The Dominion, so Car from refusing, would jump at the chance. "Two out of every three Liberals T meet now," Mr. McCurdy continued, "make no secret of the fact that thev are shaken in the free trade beliefs which the Liberals have held so tenaciously for yours.

"Among Conservatives a- curious sjatc, of • affairs exists. Conservative leaders are hastening to assure us that though they tin' protectionists they are not bigoted. They prefer it in homoeopathic doses. Although safeguarding may bo good for silk stockings.' they'.say, it is risky for steels. Although' it limy be all right for buttons and writing paper it would be an intoxicating beverage to oll'cr to the British farmer. PSYCHOLOGICAL "This doctrine of Empire Free Trade,".Mr.; .\TcCurdy lidded, "is not a fiscal policy! It is an economic policy—a psychological policy. It is a way to g(;t people to work. a. method to start, the wheels of machinery so that we may 'develop the great natural resources at the disposal or* the Eng-lish-speaking peoples in the Empire. "The policy of Empire Free Trade is to give our manufacturers that sense of security and confidence that the Americans have; to give them precisely the same fiscal'system that is enjoyed by-*their rivals in the Unites ■States! ■• . ' ■ '

•"There is no reason whatever why the "development of- the 14.000,000 squ'rue miles o'f territory 'under theBritish ring should not go forward with that', 'vigor" and energy which it •has lost in the past lialf-e.entury. • "We are not here to pui si I a riff, on cotton' or 'any other such insanity. We may -be. wicked uncles, as the Daily News suggests, but we are not babes in the wood."