IMPERIAL ECONOMICS.

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15357, 4 October 1923, Page 5

IMPERIAL ECONOMICS.

MR MASSETS SPEECH.

OLO6E CO-OPERATION NEEDED. TO OVERCOME THE DEPRESSION. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. '..;. Received October 4, 100 ajn. LONDON, October 3. At'the Economio Conference Mr.. Massey urged that they should always . bear in mind that migration and preference go together. Ho contested the: criticism that New Zealand *was making insufficient progress by comparing the exports of two years ago with those of to-day, and declared that tho Dominion's potentialities were such, that they could be vastly increased. Mr Massey said the result of the Empire Conference hitherto had been exceedingly satisfactory. It was for the British Government now lo take tho initiative. The Dominions' representatives had no desire to increase the price of food <to British consumers), and if this were so there must he compensating interest in the opposite direction. If the Empire was going to succeed in getting out of the present industrial depression, the Dominions and Britain would have to work together in a better and closer manner than they ever had in the past. He complained that the British Government's recent -meat contract, for which New Zealand had tendered, bad been given outside the Empire, which should have first consideration. Mr Massey said he had called the attention of the British Post Office to the time wasted by not using the American route to New Zealand for mails. With reference to currency, he hoped the Conference w>ould be able to provide substitutes for gold, Finally, he advocated the teaching of the history, of the British. Empire throughout the British Empire. Mr Mackenzie King advocated the removal of the Government control of Industry.as far as possible to enable the movement of men and money throughout the Empire, so strengthening the Empire's trade. Canada Empire goods 33 1-3 per cent prefer-' ence, and a further discount of 10 per cent on duties' on British good 3 coming through Canadian ports. , Mr W. G. Ormsby-Gore gave statistics of the population of trade of the < colonies and protectorates, which should not be overlooked in the discussions on -the relations between Britain and the largest Dominions. He mentioned the "diversion of Empire products, instancing copra from Samoa which practically all went to Germany. Better transport'"facililies and commercial education were- needed to ew " ' eourage native producers.