TRADE TREATY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18416, 24 June 1925, Page 9

TRADE TREATY.

CANADIAN DEBATE. OPPOSITION TO AUSTRALIAN PROPOSALS. (BT CABLE—HIESS ASSOCIATION COPYRIGHT.) (llEL'TEft's TEL"EGRAIIS.) (Received Juno 23rd, 8.35 p.m.) OTTAWA, Juno 22. The Australian Trade Treaty mot with opposition in tho House of Commons to-day. Conservatives, attacking the treaty, charged that tho advantage lay with Australia, and that under its provision for reduced duties on imported Australian meats and tho placing cf Australian eggs and cr.ecse on the lreelist, a. blow was struck at mixed farming in Canada. . Tho Hon. J. A. Robb (Minister of Finance) observed that he, personally, represented one of tho largest dairying constituencies in the Dominion, and had he not considered tho treaty beneficial to Canada, ho would have hesitated to introduce it.

Tho Progressive Lender (Mr Forke) thought that tho treaty was a mixture of good and evil. He intended to vote against it. Mr Pvobb said ho hoped that the mutual restrictions on apples 'between British Columbia and Australia would bo removed. Ho stated that tho Australian Prime Minister had promised that as soon as tho mcasuro passed tho Canadian Parliament it would bo introduced in Australia.

Asked why onions had been omitted, Mr Bobb said it was merely an omission, and would have to go in. Asked what advantage tho treaty would be to the fanners: of Canada, he renlied that it would not bo a great advantage, but would not injure them. Tho Minister was subjected to a bombardment of questions from both Progressives and Conservatives, regarding the effect on raisins and other articles.

Commenting; on figures which lie liad been asked ior, Mr llobb said increased imports of raisins corresponded with the period in which the different provinces had adopted prohibition. In 1914 Canada imported 24.000,000 pounds of raisins, in 1919, 34,000.000 pounds, and in 1924, 33,000,000 pounds. Now that Australian raisins had been mado duty free the. Commonwealth could compete with, the world, no matter whether there was nn increase in the duty on dried fruits from other countries or not.

After a lone; discussion Mr Roibl) moved that progress bo reported.

Tho re is considerable) opposition among Government fiitpportcrfi, nnd tho suggestion is commonly heard that tho liill may not come up again this seft' ciijll.