FRANCE PAINED

Taranaki Daily News, 9 December 1931, Page 7

FRANCE PAINED

MR. RUNCIMAN’S charges ALLEGED DISCRIMINATION LEVYING OF THE SURTAX VISIT TO ENGLAND DELAYED reciprocal ACTION URGED British Wireless. Rugby, Dec. 7. - Ab anticipated, the postponement of the visit of the French trade delegation to London was announced yesterday in Paris. The announcement stated that the British Government, while accepting the principle of friendly conversations on the tariff question, declared that immediate conversations would be premature as no modifications could in the present conditions be made in. the new British tariffs. The French Minister of Commerce, M. Rollin, says the French public is painfully surprised by the outspoken criticism by Mr. W- Runciman, President of the Board of Trade, of the surtax imposed by France on British goods. M. Rollin denies that the surtaxes discriminate against Britain, as they apply to other countries as well, and the decree sanctioning them was promulgated, before the fall in the value of sterling. As pointed out by Mr. Ruficiman on Friday, the decree was actually put into force on November 14, just before the first announcement of the new British duties. It applies in varying degrees to a series of countries with depreciated currency, including Britain, Australia, India, Mexico, Denmark, Sweden, Argentina, Uruguay and Norway. The maximum of 15 per cent, surtax is imposed on imports from Britain, Australia, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The Daily Telegraph notes that the coal surtax applies to Britain alone, because Britain is the only country in the category which exports coal to France. BRITAIN COMPELLED. •The British Government has been compelled to take emergency measures which, being only for six months, will no doubt be succeeded by a permanent tariff on a lower scale,” says the Morning Post. “In the meantime, if France and England realise the suffering on one side and the necessity on the other, it will help them to mutual forbearance.” The Daily Herald urges a policy of international agreement on the tariff question. Referring to the approaching disarmament conference, it says that similarly the time is ripe for all-round consideration of political and commercial problems, reparations, war debts and tariffs which, equally with armaments, endanger the stability and security of all countries. M. Paul 'Hymafis, Belgian Foreign Minister, arrived in London last night with M. Van Rangenhove, SecretaryGeneral of the Department of Foreign Affairs. To-day he will meet Sir John Simon, Foreign Secretary, and on Monlay Mr. W. Runciman. “There is,a difference between a tariff as necessary dealing with an emergency and imposition as a deliberate rod settled change of policy,” said Lord Srey to-night at the Eighty Club dinner. ‘‘lf any section of Conservatives succeeds in pressing that change it will iestroy the Government’s national character.” The Hull Chamber of Commerce today decided to urge the Government to recognise the need of some reciprocal arrangement in view of the difficulties of manufacturers in obtaining payment for exports owng to 15 foreign Governments restricting export currencies. It was pointed out that a Bradford firm which exported cloth to Hungary was unable to obtain payment, although the money was deposited in the firm’s name in a Hungarian bank, the Government refusing a permit for it to be taken over, and even rejecting the offer to take Hungarian products in lieu of currency.