TRADE PROBLEM

Taranaki Daily News, 20 October 1930, Page 9

TRADE PROBLEM

PREFERENCES IN EMPIRE

dominion group rumoured

AUSTRALIA “SITTING PAT”

BRITISH POLITICS INTRUDE

MARKETING BOARD’S WORK

By‘ Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. London, Oct. 17.

'Some London newspapers, sensing the Dominions’ disappointment, have begun weaving stories that the Dominions are forming preferential groups among themselves, apart from Britain. Of course, this would only be a continuation of the ordinary procedure. For example Australia and Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, have trade understandings which ilaturally will be discussed while the Ministers arc assembled in London, but that is’ apart from the conference.

Not till'the following week, at the earliest, will the major problems, such as preference, quotas and bulk purchases bo embodied, in the conference discussions. These, of course, form one of main problems for the conference. It is still hard to find in any Dominion circle any expectation of anything satisfactory of the nature of preference. There is also an intriguing story, perhaps with a grain of truth, that Australia “sitting pat” is assured that, if all else fails, money will be obtainable from America at any time in any quantity in return for trading concessions in which General Motors will play a leading part. The fact is that the conference lias been unduly clouded, by the intrusion of British domestic politics. Some think this all to the good, others all to the bad, in the sense that it stiffens the backs of the free trade elements in Mr. MacDonald’s Ministry. To-day’s discussion of the work of the Empire Marketing Board was full of appreciation of what it had achieved, but more than one Dominion delegate candidly pointed out t-liat it could not be regarded as an effective quid pro quo for preferences the Dominions give. For example New Zealand gave a concrete illustration. In the past five years New Zealand’s grants from the board amounted to £50,000, whereas in the same period the Dominion gave British goods preferences representing £4,000,000 yearly. It was admitted that the board’s research work was most valuable and its propaganda for Empire buying useful, but all the Dominions, ,notably Aus* tralia and New Zealand, had to spend large sums on their own propaganda in tlio United Kingdom which was an offset against what the board granted. Merchant shipping questions, which were referred to a sub-committee, were considered to-day, and the discussion of certain treaty questions was continued.

BRITISH TRADE WITH EMPIRE. FOREIGN EXCEEDS IMPERIAL. British Official Wireless. . Rec. 5.5 p.m. ’ Rugby, Oct. 17. The extent of trade within the British Empire as compared with trade between the Empire and the rest of the world during laet year are compared in the following figures. Purchases made outside the Empire by the United Kingdom amounted to nearly £434,000,000. Goods estimated to be worth £274,000,000 were purchased' by the United Kingdom from the Dominions and £282,000,000 from the' United Kingdom by the Dominions.