TARIFFS AND TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 876, 23 July 1910, Page 5

TARIFFS AND TRADE.

o MR. BALFOUR'S WARNING. PREMIER SAYS FULL FREEDOM BEST. INTERESTING DEBATE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. London, July 21. In the House of Commons, when the second reading stago of the Appropriation Bill was reached, Mr. Balfour (Leader of the Opposition) warned Mr. Asquith that Canada was negotiating with other countries, and would be compelled to gradually diminish the preferential advantage, she was according the Motherland. He added: "The other Dominions will doubtless be compelled to do similarly." Mr. Asquith said: "The Government would/welcome inter-Imperial Free-trade, but that is impossible while the Dominions protect their own industries. Cheap food and raw material are essential to us. Britain will not consent to taxes advancing their cost." (Rec. July 22, 11.5 p.m.) London, July 22. Mr. Asquith added that he did not complain of the. exclusion of British goods from the oversea Domino ions when they w.ore competing with colonial manufactures. That was the price Great Britain gladly paid for a free and loyal Empire, which she would not have had if she had continued to dictato a fiscal policy to the Dominions. Complete freedom was the best security for unity. Colonel Seely, Under-Secretary for the Colonies, in reply to Mr. J. P. Boland, Nationalist member for South Kerry, said the question of the Dominions keeping separate records of their trade with Ireland had already been referred to the Governments of Canada and the Commonwealth. He could not say if the Government would arrange for its discussion at the next Imperial Conference.