TRADE RELATIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10266, 19 June 1911, Page 6

TRADE RELATIONS.

BRITAIN AND THE DOMINIONS.

United Press Association—By Electee Telegraph—Copyright. (Received June 17, 2.30 p.im.) LONDON, June 16. Mr Asquith presided at the Conference to-day. Sir Wilfrid Laurier (Prime Minister of Canada) moved a motion to the effect that the British Government be requested to negotiate with several Powers to relieve the Dominioiis desiring it from the operation of the treaties in. question without removing the application from the rest of the Empire. He said that Australia's experience when she wished to give preference to British goods in British .ships and was pre- ' vented by the favoured .nation clause showed the necessity of such a proposal. Canada was faced by .similar difficulty in giving preference. It had been suggested that this proposal would destroy the principle of commercial unity, but the principle had not existed. The Motherland had free trade; the Dominions tariffs, and no /two tariffs agreed. Commercial diversity existed instead of commercal unity. It was not difficult to understand that when Britain made a treaty to suit her own requirements .such treaty might not suit the Dominions. His idea would bring the old treaties into line with the newer ones. The proposal should be coupled with three principles—Firstly, it should he the Dominions' first effort to develop trade as far as possible with the Motherland. Secondly, they should not confine their efforts to the British markets, b\it should be allowed as thei rsecond object to increase the trade with other nations. Thirdly, any .benefits given by the Dominions to the other nations should be given to the Motherland and the other Dominions.

Mr Fisher, Federal Prime Minister, paiid Sir Wilfrid Laurier's arguments commended themselves to the Commonwealth. The Dominions appreciated the difficulties, and strongly wished, without embarrassing the Home Government, to have the treaties modified in the way proposed. Sir Joseph Ward (Prime Minister of New Zealand), Sir Edward Morris (Prime Minister of Newfoundland), and ■ General Botha supported the proposal. Sir Edward Grey said he could accept the resolution. He realised that the olid treaties, not containing the option, of the newer, must sometimes embarrass the Dominions. Questions were raised with Italy in response to the Commonwealth request, and a reply had been received that it would be necessary to denounce the existing and negotiate a new treaty. If that attitude was generally adopted it would be :n----convenient to denounce the old before the new agreement was secured. The case might be met by agreeing to open negotiations for modifications, and if that failed the best way would be to negotiate for new trear ties without denouncing the. old. He accepted the resolution on that understanding. A discusison took place 1 on the Commonwealth's resolution urging the development of fuller commercial intercourse. Sir Wilfrid. Laurier moved to approach the Imperial Government to appoint a Royal Commisison to enquire into natural resources of the trade of the whole Empire.

Mr Asquith agreed, and the motion was adopted.