OPENING OF CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 27 November 1934, Page 7

OPENING OF CONFERENCE

AUSTRALIA-NEW ZEALAND DISCUSSIONS UPON TRADE SPIRIT OF CO-OPERATION OUTSTANDING PROBLEMS By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 10.30 p.m. Canberra, Nov. 26. A conference of representatives of the Commonwealth of New Zealand Governments was commenced to-day. The Minister directing trade treaties, Sir Henry Gullett, presided. Mr. J. A. Lyons, Prime Minister, in opening the conference, said Australia and New Zealand were enjoying marked benefit from previous trade discussions, and he hoped the present gathering would draw them still closer. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, New Zealand Minister of Finance, said it was in a generous spirit of co-operation that New Zealand accepted Australia’s invitation to discuss mutual problems. A preliminary examination was undertaken of the points of view concerning the outstanding problems, including the New Zealand embargo on Australian citrus fruit, Australia’s embargo on New Zealand potatoes and subsidised foreign shipping in the Pacific. The Australian delegates to the conference are Sir Henry Gullett, Dr. Earle Page (Minister of Commerce), Senator A. J. McLachlan (Minister in control o£ development), and Senator T. C. Brennan (Assistant-Minister of Commerce).

The officials present during the early discussions for New Zealand were Dr. G. Craig (Controller of Customs), the private secretaries to Mr. Coates and the Hon. R. Masters (Minister of Industries and Commerce) and Mr. L. J. Schmitt, New Zealand Trade Commissioner in Australia. The officials for Australia were Mr. Edwin Abbott (Comptroller-General of Customs), Dr. J. L. Cqmpston (DirectorGeneral of Health) and officers of the Commerce and Customs Departments. At the conclusion of to-day’s conference Mr. Coates stated that no official statement could be made at present.