EMPIRE PARLEY

Taranaki Daily News, 1 August 1932, Page 7

EMPIRE PARLEY

HOPES OF THE DOMINIONS

PREFERENCE FROM BRITAIN DUTY ON COPPEB SOUGHT a PAUSE IN THE CONFERENCE DELEGATES’ ENGAGEMENTS. By TsleSrraJh —Press Assn.—Copyright. Ree« 5J5 p.tn. Ottawa, July 30. Seeing that the Imperial Conference made such surprising progress in the first week the delegates may well be pardoned for regarding with equanimity, even with relief, arrangements for a three-day holiday next week-end. Monday will be a public holiday, corresponding with the August bank holiday, while the delegates will have the following Friday, Saturday and Sunday “off,” leaving only three working days next week. The only business to-day was a meeting of the heads of the delegations to consider whether the illuminating currency speeches, including Britain’s statement, were censorable for publication. A Canadian Cabinet committee, including Messrs. R. B. Bennett and H. H. Stevens, under the chairmanship of Mr. E. N. Rhodes, Minister of Finance, has nearly completed a careful examination of thetariff schedule and are preparing concessions whfch can be granted to Britain, particularly in cotton, woollens and steel. i f VALVES FOR CUSTOMS. There is' a growing feeling in Canadian Government circles that Britain is favourably disposed to give preference to wheat, meat and other primary products. One of Canada’s concessions will probably be the curtailment of Customs officials’ authority to fix arbitary values for Customs purposes, which Mr. Baldwin deprecated in Thursday’s statement. An Ottawa journal says Lord Hailsham is talking nonsense when he predicts the break-up of the Empire within his lifetime in the event of the failure of the conference. The paper points out that the Empire is broadly based upon the will of its various peoples. “It has survived many chocks and differences may exist, but they will pass, and aS long as the Empire upholds the principles of the sacredness of contracts, faith in the pledged word, jusfreedom and fair play Imperial Conferences may come and go with varying degrees of success or failure, but the Empire will survive,” the paper concludes. The Ottawa Citizen regrets there are sgns that members of the conference are not ready for ‘‘tariff disarmament.” Austrlaia, it says, endeavoured to put pressure on Britain by describing the British position as a tardy response to what Australia had already done. The British reply on Iliursday gave impressive evidence to the • contrary. “It must be an onerous task for Messrs. Bruce, Baldwin and Bennett to find, themselves compelled to make demands where they would much rather offer mutual aid,” the paper says," but so long as ;hey regard themselves as agents of tariff nationalism they can do little else.. POSSIBLE TRADE TREATY. Canada and South Africa are holding preliminary discussions as to the possibility of a trade treaty similar to those with Australia and New Zealand. . It is reported that Canada, South Africa and Rhodesia are asking Britain for a prohibitive duty on foreign copper, giving Canada a preference of 2J . cents a pound and Rhodesia £l2 a ton. Canada last month lost the United States copper market owing to a duty of 4 cents a pound. Declining values represented a 54.9 per cent., or £24,000,000, decrease in Canada’s export trade for the past fiscal year. The volume of exports decreased only 12.6 per cent., while the volume of imports decreased 24.5 per cent. If values had been maintained Canada would have had a favourable trade balance of nearly £3,000,000 instead of an unfavourable balance of £400,000. The delegates attended the Earl of Bessborough’s garden party in the afternoon and then packed their bags for innumerable holiday resorts. Several British delegates, also Mr. H. S. Gullett (Australia) have gone fishing in the Lakes streams at -Gatineau. Others have gone to country clubs, notably a party of 70 guests to the luxurious log cabin called Lucerfe, which is a country club on a millionaire basis midway between Ottawa and Montreal and has facilities for golf, tennis, riding and swimming. Mr. J. H. Thomas, who visited his son’s home at Montreal last week-end to see his new grandson, described him as “right up to sample.” Mr. Thomas is spending this week-end fishing. DELEGATES ENTERTAINED. The delegates attended a gala concert presented by all Canadian artists. The items included Alfred Hill’s Waiata Poi and Percy Grainger’s folk songs. Two special trains will take the delegates to Niagara on August 4, proceeding on to the ceremonial opening of the Welland Canal on August 6., The canal is part of the great scheme for the. extension of the St. 1 Lawrence waterway into the Great Lakes which America and Canada have jointly agreed to undertake over a period of ten years. It is yet uncertain whether the ' United States Congress will approve the scheme for economic reasons. t The delegates will see the world’s largest fresh water steamer, the Lemoyne, pass through the new locks outwards, carrying a record cargo of grain. They will return to Ottawa to resume the conference on August 8. < The newspapers, which give prominence to the ejection of the Washington war veterans, make no reference to Canada’s unemployment problem, which is acute. Threatened unemployed demonstrations by processions converging on Ottawa did not eventuate, police patrols preventing the marchers entering the capital. Strong police guards were placed round the Chateau Laurier to divert traffic from the neighbouring streets after sunset following complaints, particularly from British, delegates, that the noise interfered with their sleep and that their tempers were fraying under the drain.

The Australian and New Zealand delegates while fully sharing the great pressure of work are still finding an occasional respite. Mr. Bruce enjoys golfing. Mrs. Bruce, who suffered ptomaine poisoning at Auckland, refrained from participation in ship-board life but' is now keenly golfing. Mr. Gullett, one of the hardest workers, is now enjoying his first relaxation. Mrs. Gullett has been the life of many parties. Mr. J. G. Coates, who presented New Zealand’s case in an able manner, is now indulging in tennis. Mrs. Coates is a most popular hdstess. Mr. W. Downie Stewart, who celebrated his 53rd. birthday yester-

day, received many presentations and congratulations. He is actively participating in all the conference business, and is giving a strong' lead as chairman of the Customs committee. Miss Stewart is constantly and assiduously attentive to his welfare. .Dr. Craig and Mr. A. D. Park are indefatigable and have endless duties. Messrs. Jones and Napier are well satisfied with the meat and fruit results. Mr; W. Goodfellow is still pursuing his aims regarding a butter quota.

MR. BALDWIN’S FIGURES "SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG.” TRADE WITH NEW ZEALAND. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, July 30. Commenting on the figures quoted at Ottawa by Mr. Stanley Baldwin, Dr. Nealo, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, eaid there was something seriously wrong. Mr. Baldwin was reported as saying that Britain’s imports from New Zealand in 1930 were valued at £44,900,000 aud exports to New Zealand at £18,700,000. According to the 1932 Official Year Book the figures were £36,000,000 aud £20,000,000, showing an apparent balance of £15,000,000, not £26,000,000.

Even £15,000,000 was an exaggerated position, as much of New Zealand’s exports found their way to Europe. These re-exports amounted to £7,000,000, so that tho real balance of trade was about £8,000,000, not £26,000,000. It was difficult to see on what basis Mr. Baldwin’s figures were arrived at. In the ease of the Australian figures, Dr. Neale said that according to the Commonwealth Year Book Australia actually imported more from Britain than she sent there.