INTERESTS OF EMPIRE

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1929, Page 11

INTERESTS OF EMPIRE

CONFERENCE SUGGESTION DISCUSSION OF ECONOMICS CANADA FAVOURS SCHEME By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. • Australian Press Association.' . . Vancouver, July 10. Canada has always been favourably disposed towards the joint discussion of problems of mutual interest to the nations of the Empire and will undoubtedly; consider favourably the plan for an economic Imperial conference. The Finance Minister, the Hon. J. A. Robb, declared to-day: “While I am out of touch with Ottawa and unaware of the Rt. Hon. Philip Snowden’s invitation for an economic conference, I beQieve in the. usefulness of such gatherings and would approve.” . The Minister declared he had expressed surprise at the reported declaration by Mr. Snowden against the preferential tariff policies as existing within the Empire. Canada had always approved of the preferential trade system and its' benefits to Canada and the Empire as a whole had been great.

In view of Mr. Snowden’s statement that communications were being sent to the various Dominions, the Canadian Government states that it has not received any communication asking whether it would be possible to hold an Imperial economic conference. ’ The Under-Secrctary for Dominion Affairs (Mr. ponsonby), replying to a question in Gio House of Commons, eaid “The Gowthment has under active consideration the question of the development of inter-imperial trade, and it naturally welcomes the indications in statements by members of His Majesty’s Governments in Canada and elsewhere that this question is also under examination in other parts of the Empire. How such trade development can be brought about is clearly a matter ■which each Government must to a large extent examine for itself. If, however, there be any general desire for an Imperial, economic conference, to take place before the next Imperial Conference, which, according to the present understanding, is due fb meet in London next year, the Government will gladly participate.”