RECIPROCITY TREATY.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXII, Issue 2793, 22 May 1911, Page 2

RECIPROCITY TREATY.

BRITAIN ENTITLED TO

BENEFIT.

UNDER FAVOURED NATION

CLAUSE.

AN UNSCIENTIFIC POLICY

[By Electric Telegraph.]

Londqn, May 19,

In the House of Lords to-night the Earl of Selbourne raised a debate on the American-Canadian reciprocity treaty. He said for the first time a part of the Empire had obtained better terms with a foreign country than Britain and the rest of the Empire. The precedent was capable of large extension, and if it became general it was difficult to see how the Imperial system was going to work. He criticised the British (joverri-

ment's supineness.

The only escape from the difficulties ahead was Imperial preference, with joint Imperial negotiations with foreign countries.

Lord Lucas (Under-Secretary for the Colonies) replied that the Government was not alarmed at the crumbling of the American-Canadian tariff wall. It was impossible for Britain to interfere without infringing Canada's fiscal liberty. He agreed that Britain was entitled to 1 the same treatment as Canada. The Foreign Office did not accept the American interpretation of the favoured nation clausty . Lord Haldane said that the enlargement of; Canada's trade with the United States would increase the markets for British goods, and concluded : "We regard preference as an utterly unscientific policy." v