My dear Prime Minister,

Since my last letter, the Easter Holidays have occupied almost the
week.

BRITISH TRADE

The trade figures for the quarter ending 31st March have now been
published. The publication was greeted by the less responsible
sections of the press with paeans of joy over the improvement in
British trade. The only basis for this demonstration was the fact
that British exports in March amounted to 9 million more than in
February, March having three more days than February.

The exports for the month of March 1927 showed a 10% reduction on
exports in March 1926 and the export figures for the first quarter
of the year for the last three years are as follows:-

3 months ended 31st March 1927 170 million
1926 189 "

1925 208 "

Imports for the quarter were practically the same as in 1926 but
30 millions lower than in 1925. It should be remembered that
there has been about a 1.5% fall in general price levels as
between March 1927 and March 1926.

There has been a fairly substantial improvement in the
unemployment figures in the last fortnight which may indicate some
revival in export trade but a disturbing feature is the fact that,
although the coal industry has entirely recovered its pre-strike
exports, the export trade in manufactured goods is very
unsatisfactory. Cotton exports are down not only in value but also
in quantity. The total of iron and steel shows for the quarter a
reduction of 15% in quantity as compared with 1926.

It is very interesting to notice that Australia as a market for
British goods seems likely to come out on the quarter's figures at
even greater importance than heretofore.

The most startling item in the whole volume of exports is the
export of motor chassis to Australia. I have made an extract
showing the immense increase of these exports as compared with the
general export progress made by the motor trade and am enclosing a
copy of the table herewith.

THE ORIENT LINE OF TOURIST TRAFFIC TO AUSTRALIA

Last week I had lunch with Sir Alan Anderson [1] and Mr. T. F.

Tallents, the Secretary of the Orient Line, to discuss the
possibility of an increased tourist traffic to Australia. The
ideas they put forward are very well worth consideration and I am
enclosing a note on the discussion, together with a brief
memorandum by Mr. T. F. Tallents setting out the proposal of the
Orient Company. I am sending copies of this discussion
to Gepp. [2]

I should be very glad to have a few words from you on this subject
as an indication as to whether you think the Orient people's idea
is a practicable one.

EMPIRE MARKETING BOARD

I enclose a summary of the decisions taken in reference to
research grants at the last meeting of the Empire Marketing Board.

This summary might perhaps be added to the file containing the
previous decisions which have been forwarded to you during the
last two months.

TROPICAL AGRICULTURAL STATION

I was very glad to receive yesterday a cable from Coresearch [3]
informing me that the Council has approved the idea of the
establishment of a Tropical Agricultural Research Station in
conjunction with the Empire Marketing Board. Coresearch have asked
me to obtain full particulars as regards Organisation, work and
staff at Trinidad and Amani and I shall get busy with this at
once. [4]

'LONDON WEEKLY'

I enclose a copy of the 'London Weekly' dated 16.4.27, which
contains an article by Ramsay MacDonald [5] which is worth
reading.

MR. A. F. BELL [6], C.M.G.

Mr. Bell arrives in London today and I have just received a wire
from him. I also received a note from Marseilles informing me that
he had been asked by you to be one of the Australian
representatives at the International Economic Conference. The file
of papers that have been issued by the League of Nations on this
subject is simply overwhelming and the Australian delegates will
have their work cut out to master the subjects that are coming up
before the Conference actually takes place.

WINE DUTIES

I am enclosing a very interesting report from today's 'Times' of
the Annual Meeting of Vine Products Ltd. These people are the
makers of British wines and handle, as the report indicates, very
large quantities of wine from South Africa and Australia. [7] I
would recommend your looking through the report.

Yours sincerely
F. L. MCDOUGALL