“MUST ABANDON HOPE.”

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 1 July 1924, Page 7

“MUST ABANDON HOPE.”

British Opposition to

Preference.

MR THEODORE’S VIEW

By Cable —Press Association —Copyright. (Received 7.15 p.m., June 30.) ADELAIDE, June 30. Mr Theodore, Premier of Queensland, in an interview, said he was suie too majority of the people of the United Kingdom considered the adoption oi Dominion preference involved complete sacrifice ot their cherished ideals, without sufficiently compensating advantages. He supposed the Dominions must accept the inevitable. It would be unwise for the Dominions to attempt to convert Britishers to a doctrine repugnant to them. It appeared therefor© that the Dominions must abandon hopes of complete reciprocal trade preference, and accommo_ date themselves to the necessity of competing in the world’s markets, without receiving favoured treatment in any particular one. Apart from certain manufacturers, the people of England placed little importance, on preference, that Australia ga\e to certain goods.

OTHER SIDE OF THE QUESTION. MAJORITY IN FAVOUR CLAIMED. By Cable—Press Association —Copyright. SYDNEY, June 30. Mr Pratten, Minister of Trade and Customs, speaking on preferences, said that in view of the British Government having itself scrapped,its own Industries Preservation Act, it was open t 0 doubt whether Australia should continue her policy to the same extent as heretofore. The narrow majoiity bj which the preference proposal was defeated, however, showed that tno minority presents an immense body of public opinion in the Motherland in favour of accepting the principle of preference to the Dominions. He proposes to review the position, whereby goods from the Motherland containing only 25 per cent, of British material or workmanship, shall receive full preference. He believes that if action is taken in this direction it will help -o some extent to relieve unemployment in the Homeland. The present system is 'unfair to our own manufacturers, who are partly deprived of protection against foreign goods, provided by oui Parliament, through the tariff.