IMPERIAL TRADE

Waikato Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1598, 3 July 1903, Page 3

IMPERIAL TRADE

CABLEGRAMS

[UNITED press association.] [by electkio telegbaph—copyeioht]

London, July 1. THE South Wales iron and Steel Workers' Sliding Scale Committee has adopted a resolution supporting Mr Chamberlain's recommendation as a reasonable alteration of the tariff policy, placing the iron and steel industries on an equality with competitors abroad. Eirl Carrington presided over an urgency meeting of the National Liberal Club, at which a resolution was adopted which viewed Mr Chamberlain's proposal with alarm. Earl Grey asserted that the present suspense was unfair to the country, and could not last. Sir Charles Dilke said that the issue was so stupendous that if the Radicals were unable to sweep the country on this question he was willing equally to support the Government, the Freetrade Tories, or a coalition. The country must tell Mr Chamberlain that it would not consent to a tax on food, and it must tell Mr Balfour that while the cry of retaliation might mislead the unwary, it would build a wall of protection, and introduce under the shelter of that wall protected industries of which the country would never get rid. Although 150 Unionist members of the House of Commons are in ' favour of fiscal inquiry, 50 per cent, of the party, chiefly representing combined urban and rural constituencies, decline at present to participate either in a concerted movement or in an electoral campaign during the recess. A council of. prominent colonials unanimously and heartily concurred that Messrs Balfour and Chamberlain's suggestions on Imperial fiscal . relations should be thoroughly explained. London, July 2. The Right Hon. Henry Hobborne, M.P. for East Somerset, presiding at a meeting of fifty-four Freetrade Unionist members of the House of Commons, explained that their aim was to assist the Government and to insure a frank and fair enquiry. A committee was ap- ' pointed to examine the piobable effect of the suggested changes on the unity of the Empire and the social and industrial welfare of tb.6 United Kingdom and to explain to the country the objections to Protective taxation of imports. Sir M. Hicks Beach stated that the meeting wished to save the party from a crushing defeat. The conference of Unionists on the 24th was evidently organised by Protectionists. Mr Chamberlain's scheme, if adopted, would provoke a strong straggle between Colonial and Home interests. He criticised the proposals with a view to showing the impracticability of compensating consumers for the increased cost of food by a reduction on tea, sugar and tobacco. Lord Goschen doubted whether Mr Chamberlain could sweep the country with so many Unionist members against him. He denounced Mr Chamberlain's fiscal policy as most dangerous and urged the necessity of the restriction of inquiries to statistical information having the Government 3tamp. A private compilation would not be a sufficient authority. The Liberal Freetrade members of the House of Commons have formed a committee of those of their colleagues who are associated with commerce to secure adequate ventilation of their views connected with the present controversy. London, July 2. The Right Hon. H. H. Asquith, in moving at a meeting of the National Liberal Federation a resolution that' Mr Chamberlain's scheme would endanger the relations with the colonies and threaten the Empire's stability, protested against the ute of the rusty blunderbuss of retaliation. It was urgent that our countrymen should choose the weapons of precision which science had formed, and which the British were r equally with the Germans, able to handle, and which were arms of quick-fire and long range fit for a modern industrial campaign. What the colonies failed to purchase from Britain probably consisted of commodities the Motherland was unable to supply. Preference would excite mutual jealousies among the colonies and lead to the taxing of all raw materials coming into England. Mr Augustine Birrell moved a resolution calling on the Government to declare its fiscal policy, and ' said that a Government without a fiscal policy was unfit to remain in office for five minutes. The resolution was adopted. At the Canadian dinner Lord Strathcona asserted that Canada would very shortly bo able to provide every pound of food stuffs Britain required. Canada in 1902 received 10,400 immigrants, chiefly American.

IBY TEMSGRAPH—PBESB ASSOCIATION). Wellington, L;at Night. Messrs Beegner ; Langguth and Co., of Auckland, writing to members of the Legislature regarding the Premier'3 preferential trade proposals, state that it the Australian colonies followed the lead of Caoada and preferentiated in favour of British goods, no one would doubt their right to do so; but if they remodelled their tariff other countries would have the right co repay the compliment. ' The Germans,'says the letter, ' have no wish to quairel with anybody, but if existing trade relations are disturbed, prompted perhaps by unfriendly feeling, no one oau be surprised at Germany retaliating.' The result of the German-Canadian tariff war -had been that the exports of Canada to Germany increased from 6'4 million marks in 1900 to 7 4 in 1901, while Gert man exports to Canada increased from L 20,000,000 marks in 1900 to 26,500,000 ■ marks in 1901. The writers pointed out H that many articles would have to be im1' ported from Germany despite a tariff Hof even '2O per cent, and many necessities Bk&. life would become excessively dear