CANADA AND WEST INDIES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1622, 13 December 1912, Page 7

CANADA AND WEST INDIES.

... PREFERENTIAL TRADE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Ottawa, December 11. In introducing the West Indies Preference Bill, the Minister. for Trade and Customs, Mr. Foster, said that the ference would last until 1922. Government aid for steamship communication would be forthcoming, and lie hoped that the grant of preference to the West Indies would be. extended shortly to other colo- - nies and Dominions. . ■ ■ A Royal Commission was 'appointed in 1909 to investigate and report 1 upon the measures that might bo taken for the promotion of ■ closer trade relations and for the development of mutual trading facilities between Canada and the West Indies. The Commissioners, who reported in 1910, were convinced that the preferential policy initiated by the Canadian Government had been of very great benefit to the sugar trade, both in the West Indies and in Canada, and they advocated the grant of a reciprocal preference except in. the case of Jamaica. They also recommended am. improved steamship service, the. public ownership of telegraph cables to the • West Indies, and a reduction in the cable rates. . As long ago as 1898 Canada granted a rebate of 25 per cent, to the West Indies, at the same time as this was given to the United Kingdom.