EMPIRE TRADE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 266, 6 August 1919, Page 7

EMPIRE TRADE

CAMPAIGN FOR PREFERENCE DOMINIONS' CLAIMS Imperial preference was the principal subject considered at tho annual meeting of the British Imperial Council of Commerce recently, under the presidency of lord Desborough, when Jlr. Stanley Maehin brought up a report on the preference proposals of the Chancellor.pf the Exchequer and submitted a resolution in favour of preferential treatment of the Dominions and dependencies. The report stated that the outstanding feature of the Budget' was the practical effect given to the policy of Imperial preference to be brought about by reducing existing Customs duties on certain Empire products, and pointed out that preferential rates on British goods imported into the Dominions and colonies were already given by Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Rhodesia, St. Lucia, St. Vincent. Grenada, Leoward Isles, Trinidad, and British Guiana, while reciprocal tariff agreements existed between Australia and South Africa, Canada, and New Zealand, tho West Indies and Canada, and New Zealand and South. Africa. In addition, Canada granted preferential tariff rates to India, Ceylon, the Straits Settlements, and other 'British colonies, and New Zealand made the same concession on the produce of manufactures of any part of the British Dominions.

Commerce and Industry. Mr. Machin moved: "That this council welcomes the steps which Jiave teen taken by His Majesty's Government to give some effect to tihe reeommendationn of tho council and of Lord Balfour's Committee on Commercial and Industrial Policy in favour of preferential treatment of the Dominions and dependencies." Ho said this had been ono of the principal plonks of the British Imperial Council's platform for many years, and had been maintained as such not only in the interests of the Empire as a whole, hut as showing the least we could do to show our appreciation of what tho over60a Dominions ami dependencies hail dono in giving us preferential rates. (Hoar, hear.) At Instltho Imperial Government had recognised that it was n necessary part of their policy, too, if the British possessions were to be an Emnire in fact as well as in name. (Cheer?.) He urged Hie Imperial Government to give us a policy that would in time enable us to establish-real free trade within the Empiro-{cheors)-so that, each part of the Empire might supply the other parts with the raw materials or manufactures it was fitted to produce. J[r: ,To=enh Chamlirrlnin-fcheifrs)—who practically save his life to the endeavour lo secure for tho country that policy which it was his son's good fortune to'lie able to initiate—fliear, honr)—said that tho leusl wo could do for our own kith and kin' overseas was to givn them n little better treatment than «t> were giving our commorcial rivals. (Cheers.) Mr. B, Rutherford (BarlVuloo* Cham her of Commerce), in secondins the resolution, said that not onlv th" West Indies, but. other parts of the Empire, would, under preference, so increase the production of sugar as to vender us independent in future of German and oilier foreign sources of supply. (Hear, hear) Mr A. H. Sytner (Port Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce) relieved tho adoption of tho principle of preference would have a most unmistak.ihlr inflnenco on provinces of tiic South African Union, and, not least, upon the Boer farmers. (Hoar, hear.) Free Trade Within'the Empire. Sir Algernon Firth said that when associated with the Liberal Association ho told his fellow-Liberals wlint his views were on that subject, and made it clear to them that he could only take the presidency, which was offered him, on those terms. In l<lo3, when Mr. Joseph Chamberlain initiated his policy of Imperial preference, he (the speaker) found it necessary to leave his party in order to support the policy of preference, and he had stuck to that policy tver since. (Cheers.) It was absurd on the face of it that we should be trading with foreign countries on the same nasisjci* we traded with each other in the Empire, (Hear, hear.) The adoption of the policy of preference. wouM bo the firststep to the rectification of that anomaly. He wanted to see the Empire bound together on_ the basis of free trade within the Empire. (Cheers.) He had teen associated with an important committee of the Board of Trade, with 'men who did not all think alike on the question of Imperial preference, but, unlike the Coal Commission, they regarded themselves as judges rather than as partiBans, and that it was their duty to be guided by the evidence tlmt was brought before them. Even those who were not supporters of Imperial nrcfersn'w had to admit, after hearing the evidence of the hundred or two ..hundred witnesses who came before them, that it was no use asking our manufacturers to establish in this country industries such as those which had been taken from us by Hie Germans if they were not to be protected. ((Cheers.)

To Combat Cobdenism. Mr. Asauith was actuated by the avowpd intention of pressing forward tho Prep Trade policy again, nnd those who wished to see Imperial preference adopted must stand by it witli unflinching determination, and uot be afraid of anything Mr. Aecjuith or anybody else mieht s av or do' agninsi it. (Cheers.) The electorate had ;rot to be convinced that our dominion." were as much part and parcel of the Empire as any part of the TTnitect Kingdom—(cheers)—nnd. if neccsfarv, the supporters of Imperial preference must prepare themselves to enter wholeheartedly into a campaign to achieve its success. If that policy was goiiis,' to bp opposed by the Prep Trade section—and, after all, he believed it was onlv a section—tho British Imperial Council, the chambers of commerce, and all other supporters of Imperial preference must en out into the country to work with all their energv, with all the voles they could command; and with all the resources at their command. (Cheers.)

Mr. E. 13. Trediven (Australasian Chamber of Commerce! pointed out that the Australian Commonwealth, by then - Customs concessions on British (roods imnorted into Australia, sacrificed something like a million stcrlimr of revenue nnrmallv as a proof of their faith in the nriiicy of Imperial preference.

The resolution was siinported by the Hon. .T. G. .lenV.ins (ex-Premip'r of South Australia), and carried unanimously.

The meeting also ndnntcd resolutions urerintr Hie early romoval of restrictions on oversells trade; nroposin<r flint trade tmlween Ihe ports of tho British Empire should lienpefcvth be regarded a.i "("■!=l\vi«e" in the quitter of shipping, mid that repriwutntioi's to that effect should be made to the Imperial and Dominions Governiffonts; nnd suggesting lhat the various laws of the Uritish Emoire relatins to companies, bankruptcy, merchandise mark', copyright, and the labelling of foodstuffs and drugs should be unified.