Clerk of the Privy Council.
JOHN J. MCGEE,
21133.
101
No. 13.
The GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF AUSTRALIA to the SECRETARY
OF STATE.
(Received 7.50 a.m., June 15, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
Confidential. Referring to your telegram of 8th June,* Treaty Greek Government, Ministers unable to make definite statement of their desire till the subject has been examined by Royal Commission
on the Navigation Bill.—NORTHCOTE.
105
than 21 per cent. of the coasting trade within Canada is carried by foreign ships, and that foreign ships carry about 15 per cent. of the trade between Canada and other parts of the British dominions.
The Minister, after conference with the Minister of Marine and Fisheries, submits the views embodied in the memorandum concerning the resolution of the Colonial Conference, upon which His Majesty's Coverument desires a full expression of opinion from the Government of Canada.
The Committee advise that a copy of this minute be forwarded to the Secretary of State for the Colonies for the information of His Majesty's Government.
All which is respectfully submitted for approval.
PUBLIC RECORD
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COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
14733.
No. 14.
The GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA to the SECRETARY
(Confidential.)
OF STATE.
(Received May 3, 1905.)
[Answered by No. 15.]
Government House, Ottawa, April 20, 1905.
SIR,
In reply to your confidential despatch of the 9th March, 1904,† pressing for a reply to previous despatches on the subject of the coasting trade and laws affecting shipping, I have the honour to enclose a copy of an approved minute of the Privy Council submitting a joint memorandum of the Minister of Customs and the Minister of Marine and Fisheries, which expresses the views of my responsible advisers on the resolution passed by the Colonial Conference on the subject referred to above.
I have, &c.,
Enclosure in No. 14.
GREY.
EXTRACT from a REPORT of the COMMITTEE of the HONOURABLE the PRIVY COUNCIL, approved by the GOVERNOR-GENERAL on the 15th April 1905.
The Committee of the Privy Council have had under consideration a despatch, dated 16th February 1903, from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, transmitting a copy of a resolution passed by the Colonial Conference on the subject of the coasting trade and the laws affecting shipping.
The Minister of Customs, to whom the said despatch was referred, observes that the privilege of trading between Canadian ports is restricted to British vessels and to the vessels of the following countries which open their coasting trade to British vessels, viz. :-Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and Norway, Austria-Hungary, Denmark, Belgium, and the Argentine Republic.
The Minister further observes that, from the information furnished through the Foreign Office, it would appear that there are no treaty stipu lations made before the passing of the Merchant Shipping Colonial Act, 1869 (13th May 1869), whereby Her late Majesty Queen Victoria agreed to grant to any of the above-mentioned foreign countries any rights or privileges in respect of the coasting trade of Canada, so that the privileges of the Canadian coasting trade now open to ships of the said foreign countries may be withdrawn when deemed advisable to do so.
The Minister represents that, in respect of the enquiry concerning the proportion of the coasting trade in Canada, either in its narrower or its wider sense, which is carried in foreign ships, it is estimated that not more
• No. 12.
36019/02; not printed.
MEMORANDUM referring to the RESOLUTION of the COLONIAL Conference.
That it is desirable that the attention of the Governments of the Colonies and the United Kingdom should be called to the present state of the navigation laws in the Empire and in other countries, and to the advisability of refusing the privileges of coastwise trade, including trade between the Mother Country and its Colonies and Possessions, and between one Colony or Possession and another, to countries in which the corresponding trade is confined to ships of their own nationality, and also to the laws affecting shipping, with a view of seeing whether any other steps should be taken to promote Imperial trade in British vessels."
The Minister of Customs and the Minister of Marine and Fisheries respectfully submit the following proposals :
(1) That the privileges of coastwise trade in the larger sense, between the Mother Country and its Colonies and Possessions, and between one Colony or Possession and another, should not be extended to countries in which the corresponding trade is confined to ships of their own nationality.
(2) That the privileges of the local coastwise trade in the United Kingdom and each of the self-governing British Colonies and Possessions should be open to British vessels, reserving to Canada and to each self-governing part of the British dominions the right to grant or refuse the privileges of its local coastwise trade to foreign ships permitted to engage in the wider coasting trade of the Empire, and to impose duties or fees on foreign ships and foreign-built ships allowed to participate in such local coastwise trade.
(3) And that the special restrictions in the shipping laws, such as marking of load-lines, provisions as to manning, deck-loading, and similar legislation, intended more especially for ensuring the safety of ships and their crews and passengers, the operation of which is confined to British vessels, be extended to foreign ships participating in any coastwise trade of the British Empire, so far as treaty obligations permit.
Ottawa, Canada,
April 8, 1905.
WM. PATERSON,
Minister of Customs.
J. R. F. PREFONTAINE, Minister of Marine and Fisheries.