RECIPROCITY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10158, 7 February 1911, Page 5

RECIPROCITY

CABLE NEWS

Dotted Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.

BRITISH OPINION.

EFFECT OX COMMERCE

(Received February 6, 8.5 a.m.)

LONDON, February 5. The Hon. Austin Chamberlain, speaking' at the Birmingham jewellers' Association dinner, said the Can-adian-American agreement will have the greatest effect on commercial history since the foundation of the German Zollverein. If ratified., he feared the result would he a great diversion of Canadian trade to the south. The agreement exposed Britain to the new and eager competition of the United Statesi Good prices, which were kept low in Britain by bountiful Canadian harvests, might be increased by the American demand. Men who shrank from the best bargain ever offered a commercial nation, fearing to raise the price of bread by a farthing, .might now see their policy raise bread by half-pennies' and pence. The Evening Standard gives details, of the schedule of the Canadian agreement with America, which is more ex?tensive and far-reaching than the telegraphed sufiimaries indicated. Mi A Hewins, Secretary of the Tariff Commission, says that the possible result of the agreement would be a death-blow to preference, which is now more than ever -urgently wanted.

THE WHEAT PROBLEM,

DEAR BREAD FOR BRITAIN

(Received Last Night, 11.30 o'clock.)

LONDON, February 6. The Daily Mail Says that the United States offers Canadian farmers 7£d per bushel of wheat more than, they can obtain in Canada. British preference will only amount to 3d. Clearly Britain's so-called bread-tax is definitely and finally extinguished. The sooner Unionists let their constituents know this, the'.better. The protection of manufactured goods and the further lowering of duties on British manufactures within the Empire would appeal strongly to Canadian and British people. An increase in the price of bread in Britain is inevitable. The Daily Chronicle declares that if the remnant of the fiscal policy survives, it will be a sordid and vulgar protectionism incapable, of an exalted appeal.