CANADA & STATES

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10160, 9 February 1911, Page 5

CANADA & STATES

CABLE NEWS

United Press Association—By 'Electric Telegraph — Copyright.

A CANADIAN STATEMENT. BRITAIN NOT AFFECTED. (Received Last Night, 9.50 o'clock.) LONDON, February 8. , The Hon. Mr Fielding, Canadian Minister of Finance, has cabled a •statement to. Lord Strathcona for the purpose of rectifying the misapprehensions of English politicians and newspapers. He says that reciprocity with the United States has ' been the policy of all Canadian parties for generations, including Sir J. A. MacDonnell's party in 1879. The unwillingness of• the United 'States-"to make a reasonable agreement led to much disappointment. America had. now changed, her attitude, and had approached Canada with a fair offer. The Canadian Government believed that in promoting relations with the neighbouring Republic they were doing the best services possible to the Empire. The fears that the Agreement would affect British imports were groundless. It deals mainly with natural products which Britain does not send to Canada. Very few manufacturers are affected, while the reduction is small. Britain will, in every case, enjoy the same rate, or lower. Mr Fielding adds: "A further revision of the tariff is probable, in which Canada will be entirely free to lix British, preference:"

DEMOCRAT CAUCUS. (Received February 8, 9 a.m.) - OTTAWA, February 7. The Canadian Prime Minister (Sir Wilfrid Laurier) informed Parliament that/the representations of the fruitgrowers, lumbermen, and others affected by the reciprocity agreement would be heard before Parliament passed the measure. The concession, however, was useless, as the agreement cannot be altered, except following :*&. new agreement. with the United States. Mr Rudyard Kipling writes to a Canadian correspondent that lie, jg more worried than he likes to be v about reciprocity, which "seems like a whole battalion of coloured persons in a wood pile." WASHINGTON, 'February; 7. ; A resolution endorsing the red-; procity agreement was. carried at a Democratic caucus of members of the House of Representatives. THE AGREEMENT DENOUNCED. A RUMOUR DENIED. <; OTTAWA, February 8. K Canadian' millers denounce .the. reciprocity agreement. •■- .;. . V ABritish; Columbia Minister as-;-serted inthe local Legislature that the grain-growers' freetrade movement in; the Canadian West was largely financed by American railroad magnates. The grain growers protest that the j statement is without 'foundation.

• The-Minister . explains that lift merely Mentioned that, such a report' -was current in the West of the United States.