BRITISH POLITICS.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18877, 22 February 1933, Page 8

BRITISH POLITICS.

DOMINION RELATIONS.

QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE. ■ HONOURING OF OTTAWA. EFFECT ON BRITISH TRADE. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received Feb. 22, 3 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 21. Answering Mr Geoffrey Mander (National Liberal Wolverhampton) in the House of Commons, the Secretary for the Dominions, Mr J. H. Thomas, said the Ottawa agreements provided that Australia and New Zealand should reduce or remove their primage duties as soon as it was financially possible. Australia had already removed the duty on 35 items. Mr Mander: “ It is the case that New Zealand actually raised the primage duties from three items to 56. What is Mr Thomas going to do about it?” Mr Thomas asked for notice before replying. Mr Mander asked whether the president of the Board of Trade, Mr Walter Runciman, was aware of the British manufacturers’ dissatisfaction at the Commonwealth’s failure to carry out the terms of the Ottawa agreement by giving them an opportunity for reasonable competition. Dr. E. L. Burgin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, replied that the Commonwealth Act confirming the Ottawa agreements was passed on December 2, 1932. The British Government was now in communication with the Commonwealth with reference to the method of giving effect to the agreement.

Replying to Mr C. V. Peat (Conservative—Darlington) Dr. Burgin said tie was not satisfied that there would be an increase in the use of British shipping if it was made a condition of the preference extended to the Dominions that goods should he carried in British ships. “ Such a course might injure more than help us," he added.

Answering a question, Mr Thomas said the total number of emigrants in 1913 to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and Newfoundland, was 272,804. The average for the 10 years, 1920-30, was 105,029. The total for the first nine months of 1932 was 8726 monthly. These figures clearly demonstrated what a tremendous influence on British unemployment figures the prosperity of the Dominions might mean.