TRADE TREATY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18417, 25 June 1925, Page 9

TRADE TREATY.

CANADA AND AUSTRALIA. BILL TASSES COMMONS. (T)V CABLE—IT.F.Ss ASSOCIATION—COi'IT.WI!T.) iAVSTEALIAX A.ND X.2. CALLS ASSOCIATION.; OTTAWA, Juno 23. Tlic Hon. J. A. llubb, .Minister of Finar.ee, referring to reports that the reciprocal agreement, with Australia, had been dropped, stated in tho House of Commons that the Treaty would lje again brought beforo the liouso when tho. Grain. Bill was out of the way. British Columbia Fruitgrowers are protesting vigorously to Ottaw;; again-t tiio proposed Trcjr.y as affect-in-jr fruits and vegetables produced in Canada, i'ur which there is no reciprocal agreement, and the lack of provision for the removal of the apple embargo.

The "Montreal Star'-' says: Now that the long-delayed Trade Treaty with Australia is before tho House of Commons, with very limited time for discussion, it is to be hoped that Parliament will not b-unglo the issue. The Treatv will establish preferential relations with Australia for the *rst time in history. Every past effort to bring about such an agreement has proved abortive, though New Zealand has long enjoyed preferential relations with us? The present situation is that we have an opportunity to conclude an agreement that will certainly provide the machinery for a substantial increase in our Australian trade. "Wo cannot afford deliberately to neglect such opportunities, given tho necessary safeguards for our established industries.

(Received June 21th, S.lo p.m.)

The treaty was passed through all its stages in" the House of Commons, and now goes to the Senate. When the Bill came up for its second reading, a division was called for by Progressive members. The trcaty was supported by 80 votes and opposed by 42. The opposition camo mostly from Conservatives. PRIME MINISTER'S APPEAL. (itEUTEII'S TELEGRAMS.} (Received June 24th. 10.13 p.m.) • OTTAWA, Juno 20. Tho Prime Minister (Mr W. L. Mackenzie King), during the debate ou tho Australian treaty, said Canada had been trying for twenty years to establish reciprocal trade relations with Australia.

This treaty represented the beginning of inter-Imperial trade, which would bo increasingly valuable to the Dominion as the years went by. If Canada failed to ratify the treaty now the concessions which Australia made might be repealed, and progress in that direction might be set back for years, if not for generations. Ho. did not believe that the tariff concessions made by Australia would seriously affect any industry in Canada. He urged the House to consider the. treaty in the light of Imperial rather than local or sectional considerations, and said that the treaty had been negotiated when world trade conditions we're favourable to an understanding between the two countries.