MISSION ABROAD.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20271, 13 August 1937, Page 10

MISSION ABROAD.

MR NASH’S ACTIVITIES. SEARCH FOR TRADE TREATIES. MR. DOIDGE REVIEWS POSITION HUNTLY, Thursday. Mr. F. W. Doidge, speaking at Onewhero, at a meeting under the auspices of the National Party, on Wednesday evening, said that the Hon. Mr. Nasn would return this week and his mission had been a failure. How would lie explain the failure I The trade treaties promised so confidently 10 months ago bad failed to materialise. In London both Mr. Nash and Mr. Savage bad consistently declared that New Zealand was prepared to take just as much in manufactured goods from Britain as Britain would take from New Zealand in primary products. That was a? grand policy to preach In Britain. But unfortunately what Mr. Nash said in London was not what Mr. Nash said in New Zealand. On the eve of his departure, in the Auckland Town Hall, Mr. Nash declared that It would be his job, at Home, to tell the people of Britain that New Zealand’s policy was to sell more and buy less in Britain. And the people with whom Mr. Nash sought to make trade treaties were as well acquainted with Mr. •Nash’s politics at home as abroad. Mr. Jordan, the High Commissioner, meaning to be helpful, had also made a speech in London. Mr. Jordan said: “ New Zealand Is prepared to refuse to accept goods from foreign countries. New Zealand is prepared to give absolute preference to Britain.” Mr. Nash might now claim how singularly unfortunate It was that just at this time the British Board of Trade discovered that we had placed large orders, in Sweden for machinery required In connection with the housing scheme, and that we had refused to permit -New Zealand agents of British firms even to tender for the Jobs. Mr. Nash might also quite fairly point out how regrettable It was that, after a deputation of manufacturers had waited upon him in London, a statement was circulated by the Reciprocal Trade Federation of Great Britain to the effect that an exclusive monopoly for the manufacture of motor tyres in New Zealand was to be granted to American interests, thus shutting out imports to the value of £750,000 on which £90,000 per year is paid in duties. State Marketing. “ Then Mr. Nash, when he takes us into his confidence,” Mr. Doidge continued, "should concede that our policy of State marketing has created a prejudice. Tie could with truth avow that the House of Commons is greatly interested in the plan advanced by Mr. Thomas Baxter, of the English Farmers’ Union, for increasing Britain’s dairy herd by a million cows in three years. And, in further mitigation of the failure of his mission, he might tell us oi' the wide campaign against anything in the nature of dumping in Britain. Even Mr. Lloyd George, a life-long Cobdenite, is protesting against any country being allowed to sell subsidised primary products in Britain. Our guaranteed price is regarded as a subsidy. Next, Mr. Nash might acknowledge that his talks over the air from the 8.8. G. did not produce quite the reaction he looked for. He told the people of the paradise we are creating in New Zealand—even paying more than £1 per day on public works. The folk at Home all seemed to respond with the same query: * But who is paying for It all?’ Mr. Nash might well allow that the British people, with many millions invested in this Dominion, have a right to be interested. Failure of Socialism. “ Mr. Nash knows that despite the failure of his mission, he is still regarded by the people of New Zealand as the ablest man in the Ministry. His failure will be readily forgiven if he now has the courage to confess that his 10 months abroad have widened and cleared his vision. 'He will be admired if he has the courage to admit that his visit to Russia convinced him of the tragic failure of Socialism He will be extolled if he has the courage to proclaim the belief that New Zealand can never maintain her rightful place in the great British 'Commonwealth of Nations unless she holds fast to the great fundamentals of freedom of initiative, freedom of e'nterprise.”