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Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1924, Page 4

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-Mlt .MASSEY'S PHOTEST CAHI.K. WE1,1.1 NOTON. July M A lengthy cable sent hr the Prim Minister to Mr Hamsay MacDonah the Hritish Prime Minister, in rejil

to his message on lari If preference was : load by Mr Massey to the House tonight. In the eotirse of Mr Massey’s message expressing disappointment that the Imperial Conference resolutions were being placed before the House of ('ominous as non-party, without Govorumeiit support, lie snid : “I do not deny, of course, that his -Majesty's Covernincnt has a perfect right to deal with these questions as il thinks proper, Imt to British countries overseas there seems little dollht that a course of action such as you suggest will he very disappointing mid will not he regarded by those countries ns in the best interest of the Kmpirc as a wlude. The dominions have never failed in their duly to the Kmpirc, and I firmly believe they never will, hut I cannot help thinking and saying that the treatment which your telegram foreshadows is not what they expelled."

' After pointing out that New Zealand gives preference in her tariff on ’ > -12-j articles imported from Britain the cable added : "Britain gives preference to no thing imported from New Zealand. The feeling in this country is that this is 1 inconsistent with a true Kmpirc spirit j mid unlikely to entourage British citi- . I gens at Home and in the dominions in their work towards the attainment of 1 ‘ a self-supporting Umpire." 1 The British Prime Minister’s cable stated that Cabinet’s attitude towards the Imperial Conference tariff preference proposals would ho determined by the following considerations: ! •• (1) The many declarations made ! on behalf of the Labour Party oil this subject make it impossible for this Government to propose any new or increased taxation on food. I " (2) We will continue to observe as regards existing taxes on food the principle of Imperial preference on the present statutory basis so long ns ! those taxes remain. Wo wish to make j it clear that this policy is without prejudice to retention of absolute freedom to propose to Parliament the removal of taxes on fond if and when we deem this expedient fro;n the point of : view of general and financial policy. •• Clj With regard to the proposal to j stabilise at about a half-penny per j pound the preference on sugar we fool j

i hound to snv we cannot admit the : right of any Government to bind fit- f ture Governments and Parliament, j hut wo should he willing, in conformity | with the observations under paragraph I 2 above, to adhere to preference on the I ■ present statutory basis so long as ale duty is retained on sugar.” 11