VANCOUVER TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1020, 9 January 1911, Page 5

VANCOUVER TRADE.

INCLUSION OF NEW ZEALAND. AUSTRALIAN ATTITUDE UNCERTAIN By lelecraph—Press Association—Copyright. Melbourne, .January. 7. One of the grounds raised by the Federal Government ngainst the inclusion of New Zealand in the Vancouver mail service was the New Zealand preferential tariff arrangement with Canada. Mr. Ross, the Canadian Trade Commissioner, suggests that the difficulty might he overcome by the Federal Parliament, immediately it assembles in September, passing an Act to extend to Canada a set of minimum, duties equivalent to the minimum tariff that the Dominion Government could then apply to Australia. Ho understands that if a satisfactory arrangement is adopted to include Xew Zealand in tho contract, the Union Company will at once place orders for one or two additional steamers of 10,000 tons for the service. These steamers are not likely to be ordered unless Auckland is made a port of call, because tlie contractors would not obtain the compensating advantage of an additional subsidy. : Mr. Fisher, the Federal Prima Minister, proposes, when.he meets Sir Wilfrid' Laurier (Canadian Primo Minister) in London, to raise the question of tariff reciprocity with Canada. Any action the Federal Government is likely to take will therefore be dependent on the result of those negotiations.