IMPERIAL TRADE COMMISSION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1028, 9 April 1912, Page 3

IMPERIAL TRADE COMMISSION.

Don don, April 5

During the debate following on Mr HarcoCirt’s announcement 01 the Imperial Trade Commission, Mr H. Page Croft, (Unionist) drew attention to the lack of organisation in Imperial affairs and the Imperial Conference proposals, including preference. The Colonial Office, he said, failed to respond to the changing conditions of the times.

Major Archer-Shee (Unionist) suggested sending trained experts to the colonies and protectorates. The Government, he added, had not formed a subsidiary coulerence to deal with the question of a State-owned Atlantic cable. Rt. Hon. H. N. Samuel, Post-master-General, replying, repeated what had been done in the way of cable reductions, and adhered to the statement that the Atlantic cable would involve a fifty per cent. loss. The House would be ill-advised to press the Government to incur such expenditure. Rt. Hon. E. Harcourt said the Government had taken definite action on twelve ot the subjects raised at the last conference, including copyright, patents, accident, compensation, exhibitions, naturalisation, revision of treaty, enforcement of Court judgments in commercial awards, and wireless communications, while a Bill strengthening the Appeal Court would be reintroduced this session.

The Times states that the Opposition was surprised at the composition of the Commission. The Opposition considers that the Government has not adopted the understanding that the personnel would be of first importance and impartial, and complains that statesmen like Rord Grey ana Rord Balfour of Burleigh have not been asked. Several of those appointed are fiscal extremists or insufficiently trained in trade and commerce,