The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1893. THE EMPIRE TRADE LEAGUE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2910, 28 February 1893, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1893. THE EMPIRE TRADE LEAGUE.

A good deal has been heard from time to time of the United Empire Trade League, which is generally understood to be an organisation having for its object the promotion of a free inter change of products and manufactures between the various parts of the British Empire. There i 3 at present on a visit to New Zealand a prominent member of the League, Mr W. J. Harris, and his communications to an Auckland interviewer show that the general idea respecting the platform of the League is not quite accurate. Tf we accept Mr Harris' views as those of the League it becomeserident that a system of moderate protection of the British farmer is aimed at; in Mr Harris' words the movement is for " keeping alive a«ricultnre in the old country by just so protecting it a 9 to allow of its being carried 01 with some hope of a little profit to the farmers." The proposals involve, to start with, a duty of 5s a quarter on all foreign corn, except, maize, entering British ports, colonial corn being allowed to enter free. Colonial meat and dairy produce would also be allowed to enter free, a tax being imposed on foreign impo'r s of a like nature. Recognising, however, that protection is necessary to foster industriesin new countries it is proposed that there should be between Great Britain and Greater Britain such an arrangement of the tariff as would benefit both. Mr Harris is visiting the colonies in order to ascertain the capacity for food production which they possess, and he believes they can afford the required food supplies to the United Kingdom withouttheslightestdifficulty. America and other countries will still go on sending food to England, but the Trade League contend^iihat the colonies should have -the best of the entry. If Britain put ass duty on corn it would raise the price in England about 3s, and a duty of Id per ibL-orf meat would raise the price id,~~and this would benefit the colonies, whose produce would be admitted free, not 06 TnaTefTaTly lhe colonies would reciprocate this preference by giving British produce and manufactures a preferential tariff, and thus, it ia contended, the Empire would benefit all round. The scheme sounds very well, bnt some of the assumptions are open to question. Mr Harris shows more faith in the development of wheat-growing in the colonies, including Canada and India, than most careful observers hod, when he concludes that all British requirements can be supplied from these sources; and he underestimates the reluctance which will be expressed in England to any policy which might tend to increase the price of food. There is no doubt that British farmers and manufacturers suffer greatly by the adverse tariffs of foreign countries — especially the United States, who for every sovereign Britain spends with them only spend with Britain 6s Bd, The Freetraders declare that the disturbance of the balanpe of trade by the artificial means of tariff* will ultimately adjust itself, but there is a steadily increasing party in Britain who disbelieve this, and to that party British farmers and manufacturers as well as many colonial producers are looking for measures which will tend to relieve the present depression. The Trade League's proposals are crude, but they are aimed at removing unfair incidences and may be fashioned into a practicable scheme.