FREE TRADE SMASHED

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXI, Issue 2779, 24 November 1931, Page 5

FREE TRADE SMASHED

SIR JAMES PARR'S VIEWS. RESULT OF ENGLISH ELECTIONS. "The English elections have smashed free trade for ever," said Sir James Parr in the course of a speech at Tc Uku (Raglan) yesterday on the subject of Empire Free Trade. The Leader of the Legislative Council said his prophecy of six months ago that England would abandon free trade and impose tariffs against foreign goods had come true. He now made a further prediction. At a great Empire Economic Conference, to be held at Ottawa next July, a great step toward the economic unity of the Empire would be taken and trade bargains could then be made with the Motherland. He believed England would shelter New Zealand's products in her market by imposing duties against foreign butter and meat and clieesc if New Zealand on her part diverted the orders she now gave to foreign peoples, equal to £14,000,000 annually, to Britain's factories, and lowered her customs duties in England's favour. That was a sound policy, mutually profitable to England and New Zealand. Sir. James said that at the last Imperial Conference, at the instance of Mr E. F. Wise, a Socialist M.P., a scheme for bulk purchase for Dominion goods was discussed. The Prime Ministers of the Dominions all disclaimed the system of bulk purchase, stating they preferred a tariff. Bulk purchase meant that a department or board would be created in London to buy in bulk as much of our produce as England could take. Tho only bidder would be this bureaucratic department which, after consideration, would fix the quota of quantity and price. There would be no competition. Viscount Snowden (then Mr Snowden) and Mr Graham, the Socialist Minister, also objected to the plan. The board's risk in buying ahead when prices might afterwards easily drop was very serious and might result in deficits which the cash payers would have to make good.