TOUR ABROAD

Southland Times, Issue 21264, 10 December 1930, Page 7

TOUR ABROAD

MR R. J. GILMOUR INDUSTRIAL OUTLOOK IN BRITAIN INTRODUCTION OF TARIFFS (Special to the Times.) Auckland, December 9. That Britain's Labour Government may find it necessary, even if it declines to forego entirely its free trade policy, to introduce some form of tariffs for revenue purposes, was the opinion expressed by Mr R. J. Gilmour, of Invercargill, the managing director of the Southland Times, who was chairman of the New Zealand delegation to tho Imperial Press Conference. Commenting on the industrial outlook in Britain, Mr Gilmour stated, on his arrival by the Ulimaroa, that' everything was in a state of flux and perplexity at present. Changes were undoubtedly taking place but it was not yet dear what exactly the changes were or what direction they would finally take. One thing was certain: Britain’s free trade policy would have to be discarded before long. Officially, the Labour Party was still pledged to free trade but there were signs within the trade union organizations of a change of opinion on that vital topic. “I should say that it is by no means improbable,” said Mr Gilmour, “that the Labour Party will yet get direction front its own rank and file to adopt a tariff policy. In any case, apart from the fixed policy, the Labour Government, if it remains in office, may find it necessary to introduce some form of tariff for revenue purposes. The Conservative Party is now definitely pledged to protection and Empire preference and there can be no question that those changes are coming, although they may not come quickly because the cry of 'dear food’ still raises an alarm through the length and breadth of England. Visitors to Britain, accustomed to the operation of tariffs and observing the slackness of trade and unemployment, which result from an open door .policy, find if difficult to understand why there should be any hesitation in adopting a reasonable measure of protection, but it has to be remembered that in Britain free trade has centuries of public opinion behind it.” Mr Gilmour had many opportunities to examine the conditions of British industry at first hand. “The only industry that I could find whose profits and dividends were not affected by the depression was the brewing industry,” he said. “Motor car manufacturers also appear to be doing well and are confident of doing still better in the near future. In the textile and steel trades the reports are not so good.” After leaving England Mr Gilmour spent upwards of two months visiting France, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Prague, the capital of Czecho-Slovakia, was one of the busiest as well as one of the most attractive cities Mr Gilmour visited. Hie people, he said, who were rejoicing in their freedom after what they regarded as three centuries of captivity, were throwing their energies into the development of their country. They were looking to tho future and building for it with the utmost confidence.

Mr Gilmour was in Rome when the ninth anniversary of Fascism was celebrated and Mussolini made one of his “sabre rattling” speeches. “Whatever may be thought in Europe of Mussolini’s menacing utterances there is no doubt that his powerful personality has proved an immense driving force among his own countrymen,” said Mr Gilmour. “It would be idle to pretend that there is no opposition to him in Italy, but the opposition is afraid to make itself heard and, meanwhile, he is directing tho Italians toward a higher sense of national entity, toward greater industrial and social achievement and toward loftier ambitions and aspirations. Italy has undoubtedly made good progress, on the surface at least. There is no trouble with political dissensions and under the Duce’s firm hand the national energies are well organized and well employed.”