CANADIAN POLITICS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 June 1929, Page 5

CANADIAN POLITICS

STATEMENT OF PREMIER. ' OPPOSITION COMMENT. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received this day at II a.m., OTTAWA, June 11. - Premier King replying to a question in the House to-day, said he had no official knowledge of a reported possible conference between Ramsay MacDonald, Hoover and himself at Washington. In the course ■of a speech criticising the Government’s tariff attitude in regard to the United States, the Conservative leader, Mr Bennett, made reference to the Australian treaty. He said within a few weeks of coming into effect, the Australian treaty, the Government had had to put a dumping clause against Australian products being dumped into Canada. ' Shortly afterwards, the Government by Order-in-Council had extended to New Zealand the preferences granted Australia. The great mamifacuring*'creameries of Ontario were actually importing New Zealand butter and selling it to Canadians, because they could not get enough milk. In regard to the United States situation Mr Bennett said the real issue that faced Canada was the danger that Canada might become dependent on another • country for the necessities of life. OTTAWA, June 11. Mr Bennett speaking in the Commons, declared the statement that had been. made that Canada was prosperous, because she had a large purchasing power, but that power was due to great crops and the depletion mineral and forest resources, which were being shipped in a raw state to United States. Wlmt Canada was doing was selling her birth-right in the forest, mines and minerals. The Finance Minister, Mr Robb, describing Mr Bennett’s speech as “talking” blue ruin,” said Canada was -not trading with United vStatcs alone, but with the whole world. He quoted figures showing the increases in Canada’s trade balance since 1922 with fourteen trade treaties, • until 1928, with forty-three treaties. Canada believed she could best improve trade within the Empire. OTTAWA, June il.

More than two hundred thousand people moved from Canada to United States, in the year after the full force of tho Fordnov Tariff came into effect, in that country, said Mr Bennett. The Canadian Government encouraged that movement by lowering the protection, and now another, tariff more far-reaching was before tho United States Senate. How was the Government meeting this? crisis? It had done nothing. The new tariff would mean an increase in many cases of twenty dollars per head on cattle going from western provinces. Both the Fordney and McCumber Tariff and the Emergency Tariff which preceded it, had an affect on Canada adversely. Their general effect had been to cut exports of Canada’s farm products to United States by one hrundred million dollars. Canada was buying from United States goods to tho value of nine hundred million dollars per annum and was selling to United States commodities worth five hundred millions.

The Minister of Finance (Mr Robb) replying, said Mr Hen nett uas much exercised, over the fact that down in ■Washington where the weather was hot. Congress was attempting to determine how much more it would tako from women and children in United States on milk, bread and butter, which they required for their livelihood. In respect to United States tariff, Canada would be taken care of, as was the > case in the past.