IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 October 1923, Page 3

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION EMPIRIC PREFERENCE. AVIIAT THE DOMINIONS WANT. LONDON, October 8. The “Daily Express” features an article headed, “At the Cross Roads,” in which it is suggested that as a eonsequence of the Imperial Conference, the Conservative Party'is on the eve cT another campaign based on preference protection, including toed taxes. The “Express” says: “All the Dominion Premiers live under protection hut- no Dominion, except Newfoundland taxes the fond of some because they grow more than they consume, hut they have collie to London to ask us to tax our food. That, is the plain truth, however reluctant they mull we are to confess it openly. Australia is buoyed up on tlic- strong,‘hope that Britain will in future buy more Australian meal instead of Argentine and American. Jsut this horrid fact is certain—that both public and wholesalers prefer chilled Argentine to frozen Australian. lo put the ease crudely and briefly, Australia wants us to tax foreign meat in order that she may undersell the foreigner or, at any rate, level up her distance. She wants us also to increase the tax on dried fruits against the foreigner. Africa wants us to give her oranges and maize products preletonee. New Zealand wants us *to tax lamb and dairy produce so as to give her preference over Denmark. Meanwhile the British farmers demand a minimum wheat price and the tota. prohibition of imports of foreign potatoes, peas and fruit when the home market is glutted. They go even further than Australia which puts a prohibitive tax on,bananas. .Many members of tbe Government are becoming convinced that whole hog protection, including food taxes, is no longer unpopular, even with the Lahoui I <ut\. This means a political fight ol the first magnitude. The Conservative Party is hack to the old crisis and if it plumps for preference, Air Bonar ,Law’s election pledges will necessitate a general election.