EMPIRE FREE TRADE PROPHESIED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17218, 8 December 1923, Page 2

EMPIRE FREE TRADE PROPHESIED.

MR MASSEY AT BRADFORD. Eeater’s Telegrams. (Received December 8, 11.15 a.m.) LONDON* December 7. Mr Bruce and Mr Massey visited Bradford to-day. At a civic luncheon, Mr Bruce said that, while they were proud of the silken ties between the Mother Country and the dominions, which had proved stronger than steel, it would be a mistake not to consider whether it would not be possible to strengthen the bonds materially by making trade relations closer as the vears passed. His task in coming to England was to at tempt to make Britain visualise what a wonderful Empire she was the centre of, and what amazing possibilities of development there were in it. Mr Massey said that they were in the transition stage, and, if the Empire was going to prosper as they wanted it to. then the different nations and individuals in the Empire must stand together better than they had done in the past. Referring to Free Trade in opposition to Imperial preference. Mr Massey declared that it was possible to como nearer to real Free Trade by what was proposed than by any other way. He believed that the time would come when there would be Free Trade between the different nations of the Empire.