CANADIAN VIEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 July 1929, Page 5

CANADIAN VIEWS

OUTSPOKEN MINISTER. (United Press Association—By Electru 're leg. u,ph—Copyright). this day at 9.25 a.m.) Vancouver, July 11. Reiterating his statement at Victoria that Canada lias always been favourably disposed towards joint discussion of problems of mutual interest to nations of the Empire and the world, and would consider with favour, any suggestion from the Government of Britain leading to an Empire Economic Conference, the Minister of Finance (Mr Robb) again expressed sursprise over the reported declaration oi the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mi P. Snowden) against preferential policies. “I believe in British Preference, and I believe the British people whom Mr Snowden represents, welcomes the preference given.them by the Dominions.' If Mr Snowden is opposed to a preferential tariff policy, he is not presenting the views of the British people as a whole,” said Mr Robb indicating tnere had been a volte, face since the effacement of the Baldwin Government in 1923.

“However, I am not making the policies of Great Britain, she is capable of making her ,own tariffs. If Britain is not in accord with her own

preferential policy with regard to Australia and New Zealand, Mr Robb said they had full British preference and gave Canada the full preference. Canada had a trade agreement with Australia governing specified products and the same applied to South Africa. Britain enjoyed the same pyivileges.”

I do not believe the preference given by Canada to Australia and New Zealand lias done any harm to British Columbia. He contended there was no real opposition to British preference in Canada, although he admitted that there might be some opposition to the manner of its application. He recalled that when A. S. Feilding in troduced a preference policy, thertq was opposition from the Opposition. Now the Leader of the Opposition was preaching British Preference.