EMPIRE TRADE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17183, 29 October 1923, Page 8

EMPIRE TRADE.

LABOUR LEADER’S VIEWS. PREFERENCE NO HELP. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Reuter's Telegrams. (Received October 29, 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, .October 28. During a speech at a Labour demonstration in London, at which be presided, Mr Arthur Henderson, M.P., said that Imperial preference and tariffs, with large scale emigration to the Dominions, were being solemnly advocated as the only solution for unemployment, but he pointed out that unemployment existed also in high tariff countries. Imperial preference was not given in return for an enlarged market in the Dominions for our export which, on the contrary, maintained the same proportion to our total ovefteas trade as before. Since the Dominions gave Britain preferencce the trade of the Dominions in British markets had been increasing, despite the fact that they got no preference or only a small preference. One-sixth of the Customs duties imposed on some classes of goods was imposed for revenue. Un•employment in the Dominions would be intensified enormously by the adoption on a large scale «>f a policy of emigration, which would transfer population to countries overseas faster than those countries could absorb them. He urged that Britain’s foreign policy should be steadily directed to the political and economic reconstruction of Europe as a means restoring the trade and industry of Britain and Europe. He declared that the problem of unemployment would remain so long as the capitalist system of industry continued.