THE RUSSIAN TREATY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18336, 2 March 1934, Page 7

THE RUSSIAN TREATY

ADVANTAGES TO BRITAIN DEBATE IN THE COMMONS SOVIET’S PAIR ATTITUDE (British Official Wireless.) Roc. noon. RUGBY, March 1. In opening the House of Commons debate on the Anglo-Russian temporal')' trade agreement, Air Walter Runciman recalled that in the three years from 1929 to 1933 inclusive, the total value of Russian goods and materials sold in Britain was approximately £124,000,000, whereas goods from Britain sold in Russia came to about £40,000,000. One of the first objects of the British Government was to bring those two figures much nearer together. The Russians had now accepted'the view that Britain could not continue buying largely from them while they bought so little from Britain. He thought that was a very handsome admission on their part, but it was one that was absolutely necessary as the foundation of negotiations during the last 12 months. .- - -

The Russians had acknowledged Britain’s right to prohibit their goods if they were likely to frustrate the Imperial preferences provided for, in the Ottawa agreement. ‘ ‘ There again, ’ ’ said Air Runciman, “we must express satisfaction that they had been ready to accept our view.” The agreement provided that subjects of either country should enjoy in the other country all the trading facilities, rights, and privileges accorded to the subjects of any other country. The goods of either country should also enjoy in the country of either the facilities, rights, and privileges granted to any other foreign country in all that related to import' prohibition, restriction, and customs duties. The procedure laid down in regard to preferences was that if either party represented to the other that preferences were being frustrated, or home production detrimentally affected as .a result of prices created or maintained by such action, there were to be negotiations.