OTTAWA CONFERENCE

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 205, 24 August 1932, Page 8

OTTAWA CONFERENCE

THROUGH LATOUR EYES COMMENTS BY MR. HOLLAND (Per Press Association) WESTPORT, Aug. 23. Commenting on the result of the Ottawa Conference, Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, said that it did not appear that anything had been achieved at Ottawa that would substantially improve the ■ economic position of the Dominion. It ! was fairly clear that the New Zealand i delegation had not obtained anything i like the concessions that its members i sought. > What had been arranged in regard Ito dairy produce was admittedly a I temporary expedient, and the agree- ! ment regarding meat specifically pro- ! vided against larger exports from i New Zealand in 1933 than in 1932. | Besides, the huge amount of British ' capital invested in South America ! would remain the determining factor iin the matter of meat exports to i Britain from that country. How- | ever, it might be that fuller informaI tion would place the results in a better light than appeared to be the case from the reading of the Press messages to date. A Grave Danger On the other hand, there was a grave danger that the established secondary industries ot the Dominion might be seriously jeopardised, said Mr. Holland. No definite informa* tion was available, but it was clear some sort of bargain had been struck with a view to making it possible for British products to compete successfxiilv with New Zealand manufacturers in the New Zealand market. Such an agreement would be a tragic error. The goods that cannot be produced here should be admitted duty free, but to bring in goods that are produced locally in abundance would be uneconomic and detrimental to er ei y useful interest in the country. The secondary industries of New Zealand must be safeguarded and developed as well as the primal v industries, otherwise the unemployment problem would be gravely accentuated and the whole community would suffer. The day had gone when the people of New Zealand could be regarded solely as wool and meat growers and butter and cheese makers for the overseas market, notwithstanding the immense importance of those industries. Ottawa had resolved itself into a bargaining counter, mainly on a tai-iff-tinkering basis, but what was wanted were reciprocal and definite trade agreements between countries of the British Commonwealth. Of course, it was inevitable that trading relationship would be extended beyond the British Commonwealth boundaries. His Excellency’s Criticism Referring to comments that had been made on the Ottawa result, Mr Holland said it was deeply regrettable to find his Excellency Lord Bledisloe expressing a definitely onesided opinion on this subject. He referred particularly to that portion of his Excellency’s speech which read: “Whatever demands Britain on her side is making for the freer admission of her factory products in this country will, it is hoped, when known, be considered sympathetically by the loyal inhabitants and endorsed by the Parliamentary representatives.”

That, in Mr. Holland’s opinion, was an exceedingly unfortunate and wholly unconstitutional pronouncement, inasmuch as it amounted to an endeavour by vice-royalty to influence the votes of members of Parliament. It was not a question of whether Lord Bledisloe’s views were sound or otherwise; it was solely a question of whether or not the king’s representative was entitled to participate in partisan political discussions of the day. Moreover, the sentence quoted could be taken to imply that those who viewed the Ottawa bargain unsympathetically would not be entitled to be counted among the loyal inhabitants of New Zealand. Everyone had the highest respect for Lord Bledisloe, both as his Majesty’s representative and personally, Mr. Plolland added, but it followed that if he entered the field of controversial politics on one side or other he must divest himself of his vice-regal capacity and assume the prerogative of a politician. It would be unfortunate if a precedent should be established on these lines.