FREER TRADE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 229, 30 September 1935, Page 7

FREER TRADE

MOVE AT GENEVA REMOVING IMPEDIMENTS ANGLO-FRENCH MOTION SUPPORT FROM ROOSEVELT [Dy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) Received Sept. 29, 6.15 p.m. GENEVA, Sept. 28. The League delegates were surprised when Dr. .Benes read a message from Air. Roosevelt supporting Dr. Burgin’s resolution in favour of a bilateral tariff reduction and currency agreement. Air. Roosevelt declared that he particularly desired to reduce restric lions e-n international trade. At a meeting of the Economic cominitlc’C of the League of Nations last week, Dr. E. L. Burgin, Parliamentary secretary to the British Board of Trade, submitted a motion iecG'iiimending the Governments ultimately to aim at a return to the gold standard and expressing the belief that the romoval of impediments to trade is essential before an Internationa monetary standard can become cffective; and that the Governments en courage .freer trade by bilateral agree meats subject to- revision at short notice in the event of a. large variation in exchange. The motion also expressed the view that the recovery of trade would be greatly assisted if agreements were based on the most-favoured-nation clause. Dr. Burgin expressed the view that the local and limited signs of cec-nomic recovery which had taken place so far could be made general only by freeing the channels of international trade. The British Government was in favour of any step which would increase the volume of world trade, and for that reason retained its confidence in the principle of the most-favoured-nation clause as tending to reduce trade barThc chairman, AL Bonnet (Franco), accepted, the motion, which thus became an Anglo-French motion and will be discussed later. M. Bonnet moved that, the secretariat’s economic section seek advice from agricultural experts in all parts of the world, with a view to removing agricultural depression. Tho League’s Financial Commission reported strongly in favour of a rapid return of the gold standard and the abolition of trade restrictions.

TRADE AGREEMENT

CANADA AND AMERICA. BIG CUT IN DUTIES. Received Sept. 30. 1 a.m. WINNIPEG, Sept. 29. Tho negotiation of a trade pact yith tho United States, now under con sidoration will mean a reduction of payments on imports from tho United States of nearly 6,000,000 dollars, and will affect some 700 items. This announcement was made by the Prime Alinister, Mr. R. B. Bennett.