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IMPERIAL CONFERENCL
PREFERENTIAL TRADE
Britain and Australia.
The'.Ijoridon ?''FinancialA.Times,'' in a
rejoinder, to' .the statement made -by; Mr.
M; L. Shepherd (secretary, of- the. High'
Commissioner for Australia) retarding
preference , -. ror uoni mions ? . products,
asks: 'If it be true that the other v do-
minions arc as insistent on. increased
preference ' as ? Australia.', why should
their representatives in London- remain
silent: ; until Australia, concedes:: to our
exports v the .open. .'door, which we- offer
to theirs? They :havc no ''% round for
asking that we should . penalise oiir con
sumers for i the. benefit of their- iproV
ducer's.' :....,; t'_- . , ?'.?.'.... '..- ?-.. '-Jvl^.; -:-''-.:.'.
(Mr. Shepherd had complained that
Mr.'- Harold Cox, . writing; in. the London
'Financial Times,''-.had shown: a'=;'8trorig
disposition to single out- Australia' for
attacks, because he was convinced that
the demand ; tliat ; the.. :Mother . Country
should : increase the preference which the
had given to Dominions'. products, came
mainly from Australia. Mr; Shepherd
continued :-^-'lt. is ^ true that Australia is
taking the keenest interest in the Im
perial -Economic -Conference, but so are
South- Africa and Xcw Zealand. Mr.
Cox argues that the failure of Canada
and Australia to arrange a preferential
system demonstrates the futility of
inter-preferential arrangements. . The
actual reason for the prolonged delay is
to be. found in the balance of trade be
tween the two Dominions. . Australia in
purchasing £3,000,000 worth of Roods
annually from, Canada, which purchased
only f 375;000 worth of goods from Aus
tralia during 1921-23. Australia's trade
policy is based on maintaining and im
proving her position as Britain's second
best 'customer.'! '.'?:.-.. --I. '-,'.? ;. ?
.'???'??'??'':'--.'.-y-- ' ' '' ' ' I'-'- -.:': ' .'? ..
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