FOREIGN IMPORTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18386, 2 May 1934, Page 6

FOREIGN IMPORTS

INCREASE IN BRITAIN MINLSTER’S EXPLANATION (British Official Wireless.) Hoc. 2 p.m. RUGBY, .May 1. Mr Walter Runciman, in the Houso of Commons, replied to a series of questions regarding tho increase in imports of various commodities from foreign countries over particular periods, and asking what action he would take to increaso the imports of these commodities from within the Empire. Mr Runciman pointed out that it was often misleading to consider by themselves statistics relating to specific ,iml limited periods and specific countries. For instance, wheat imports from Canada increased from 7,000,000 ewt. in the first three months of 1932 to nearly 14,000,000ewt. during the same period of 1933. In the case of oats, the increased imports from Russia in the first three months of 1934 wove more than offset 'by tho reduced imports from the Argentine in the same period. As regards maize, the surplus available for export in Empire countries from 1933 crops was unusually small, mainly owing to a short crop in South Africa. The considerably increased duties were imposed last January on oats and oat products from foreign countries, and in the case of most of the other commodities mentioned, Empire countries had either full or preferential duties. Whilst no opportunity would bo lost of developing inter-Imperial trade, he could not contemplate discrimination against the produce of particular countries merely because tho imports from those countries happened to show an increase iu a particular period.