AUSTRALIAN TRADE TREATY ATTACKED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 173, 23 July 1931, Page 1

AUSTRALIAN TRADE TREATY ATTACKED.

MR MACKENZIE KING CRITICISES THE PACT.

United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received July 23, 11.30 a.m.) OTTAWA, July 22.

the first step topment of Empire trade on sound lines, Mr R. B. Bennett (Prime Minister) to-day introduced in the House gf Commons the second reading of the Australian Trade Agreement. Certain principles had been kept in mind, Mr Bennett said, and it was realised that Australia produced goods of a nature

Describing it as ards the develo

that Canada must import, and vice versa. There must be mutual advantage; if the treaty did not benefit both countries it was of little value.

Expressing doubt regarding the effectiveness of the trade treaty, Mr Mackenzie King made a charge that the pact amounted to nothing, as the British preference of 40 per cent in Australia was prohibitive. “ Canadian goods will have a hard time getting into that market,” he said* Australia’s depreciated currency was another big factor, and it was even possible that Canada might have to advance credits, and the treaty’s value could be judged best by the trade returns.