EMPIRE TRADE

Wairarapa Daily Times, 20 October 1930, Page 5

EMPIRE TRADE

♦ FIGHT FOR PREFERENCE. LABOUR MINISTER’S SCHEME. Press Association Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received Monday, 8.50 a.m.) LONDON, Sunday. Behind the scenes of the Imperial Conference, Mr W. Graham, President of the Board of Trade, is fighting for a scheme of Empire trade preference, which he believed will set Britain on the road to prosperity, while Mr P. Snowden has decided to .sacrifice some of his free trade principles.

The basis of Mr Graham’s .seheme is that Britain should enter into a treaty to buy. each year a fixed quantity of Australian meat and timber, Canadian wheat, New Zealand mutton, and South African fruit, the Dominions in return to buy British coal, steel, motor cars and textiles. Linked up in the agreement will be provision for credits to finance this big exchange. DELEGATES’ WIVES. SUGGESTED CONFERENCE. LONDON, Friday. That the wives of delegates to the next Imperial Conference should simultaneously confer was the suggestion of Mrs Sidney Webb, speaking at a luncheon at tho Forum Club, at which wives of the delegates Avere entertained. She added: “There are many questions our husbands do not understand. For instance, maternity, children’s education, housing, and also the films, could be discussed.”

A good-natured rivalry has developed regarding which is the most loyal Dominion. Miss Margaret Baster, welcoming Mrs Moloney, claimed that Australia Avas second to none in loyalty to the Mother. Tho Ncav Zealander, Mrs C. A. Berendsen, challenging, declared that NeAv Zealand aauis the most loyal Dominion. Lady AUardyee claimed that NeAvfoundland had the finest Avar record.

SOUTH PADDINGTON SEAT. CANDIDATES’ VIEWS ON TRADE. LONDON, Saturday. Vice-Admiral U. A. Taylor has been adopted as an Empire Crusade candidate for .South Paddington. Sir Herbert Lidiard, Avho was disowned as the ConserAmtfve candidate because of his advocacy of food taxes, has nOAV AvithdraAvn his support of Empire Free Tirade. In an election address he did not mention duties on foreign foqdstuffs. Lord Beaverbrook, addressing the meeting at which Vice-Admiral Taylor was adopted, was greeted Avith mingled cheers and boos. His supporters finally shouted doAvn the opponents, but three persons were ejected after repeated heckling. Lord Beaverbrook, referring to Sir Herbert Lidiard, said: “It is not the weak-kneed man I am after. We must tackle the man who forced him to bend the knee. It was a visit to the Conservative Central Office that made Sir Herbert sLidiard change his mind. The result is that his first promise has been inexcusably and shamefully broken. That is what I’ve had to face repeatedly. Mr Baldwin last Aveelc accepted the Dominion proposals. This week we have his acceptance, AA’liich is a further disillusion, as he offers nothing practical, as the quota, besides being unworkable, is not what the Dominions wanted.”