467
ياسيا
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-| COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
TREATY WITH
JAPAN.
50
prevent that. There is nothing to prevent their coming in now under your ordinary law.
various trades-
Sir E. N. C. Braddon.] And there is nothing in your The Secretary of State.] It does not affect them at all; this treaty will not affect them at all.
Sir E. N. C. Braddon.] But would it not be a necessary consequence of encouraging trade with those Colonies?
The Secretary of State.] I think it will have the effect of encouraging your exports to Japan, and no doubt, according to all our theories, if you send goods to another country, you take goods from that country.
Sir E. N. C. Braddon.] That is the point.
The Secretary of State.] This is the adherence of Queensland: "Whereas Queensland, a Colony of Her Britannic Majesty, has this day, in due form, acceded to the treaty of commerce and navigation between Great Britain and Japan, signed in London on the 16th day of July 1894, in accordance with the provisions of Article 19 thereof: The undersigned, Her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, and His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, duly authorised thereto by their respective Governments, have agreed: 1. That the stipulations contained in the first and third Articles of the above-named treaty shall not in any way affect the laws, ordinances, and regulations with regard to trade, the immigration of labourers and artizans, police and public security, which are in force or may hereafter be enacted in Japan or in the said Colony of Queensland. 2. That the said treaty shall cease to be binding as between Japan and the said Colony of Queensland, at the expiration of twelve months, after notice shall have been given on either side of a desire to terminate the same."
Sir George Turner.] They offered very stringent terms, and, step by step, they have modified them.
Sir John Forrest.] Yes, there is not much in it now; the decision arrived at was that it was not worth doing.
12 months' notice,
Mr. Kingston.] That is the decision at the conference unanimously arrived
at in Sydney in 1895 by the representatives of Australia.
Sir George Turner.] And a second time at the conference at Hobart a few months ago.
Mr. Kingston.] Oh, yes; I do not think there is any disposition whatever to avail ourselves of it.
Mr. Seddon.] It does not seem to me a proper thing to do to enter into a treaty with a nation that we know will, to a great extent, interfere with our trade with the mother country. Japan is much closer to the Colonies; she is, going now into cotton spinning, and that more than any other is interesting greatly to the mother country, and though of course it will not be a direct interference or violation if they make specific arrangements with the mother country in respect to trade, giving the preference, yet there is the inconsistency that we should be on the one hand bringing ourselves close together, and then entering immediately at the same time into a treaty with a country that we know, if the opportunity arises, we shall ultimately pre- judice by giving a preference to Great Britain. Then there is, notwithstand- ing that, a prejudice in the Colonies, and wherever the Japanese have had trade and commerce. Some way or other-take Hawaii, for example-there was for a short time an advantage on the part of the Hawaii people. day the Japanese, and the business and trade with Japan, is all on one side, and they are very very sorry that they ever had commercial relations at all.
To-
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Under these circumstances New Zealand has signified that it will not enter into the treaty, and that has been announced, and it has been announced to other Colonies, and I see no reason myself to depart from the decision we have arrived at.
The Secretary of State.] Well, I think the matter is entirely one for the several Colonies concerned, all I would ask is that those Colonies which have not agreed should through their Premiers be kind enough to inform us whether or not they wish to agree to this Japan treaty. As I say, Queensland and Natal have agreed to join; other Colonies must please consider it because there is no time to be lost.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] Canada has refused to join in the treaty.
The Secretary of State.] And you wish to maintain that.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] I suppose so; I have no reason to suppose anything to the contrary.
Sir George Turner.] We are not likely to alter our decision.
Mr. Kingston.] We adhere to the Sydney and Hobart decision.
TRADE WITH TUNIS.
The Secretary of State.] Then, there is another treaty with Tunis, that is to say with France. These are the points raised. The point about the treaty negotiations (it is being negotiated now), and the Colonies is as follows: "Under the old treaty which is about to be surrendered the Colonies enjoy (similarly with Great Britain) most-favoured-nation rights in perpetuity, and the same tariff with ourselves, 8 per cent. Great Britain is going to surrender these rights and to receive in return 5 per cent. on her cottons till 1912, and most-favoured-nation rights for 40 years. The question arises are we to endeavour to include the Colonies in this agreement, or do they wish to be excluded, or are we to endeavour to get special terms for such Colonial trade as passes through Malta? The French Government desire to leave the Colonies out altogether; but though Colonial trade with Tunis is small it would seem to be unwise on our part to surrender the very substantial rights which the Colonies now enjoy, without their consent. Though small now the Colonial trade might develope in the future. On the other hand, the Colonies may not care to aquiesce in an arrangement one feature of which is to last for 40 years."
Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] Did I understand you to say that there was to be
a duty on cotton.
The Secretary of State.] I understand 5 per cent. is to be the duty on cotton; the actual duty.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] On all goods.
The Secretary of State.] On ours only.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] Of all Colonies or the British Colonies?
The Secretary of State.] The British Colonies.
Sir John Bramston.] It will include India and the Colonies.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] Will the same treatment be extended to colonial manufactures ?
The Secretary of State.] Yes, certainly, if the Colonies desire to be included.
Sir George Turner.] As I understand it the French Government desire to exclude the Colonies
G 2
TREATY WITH JAPAN.
TREATY WITH TUNIS.
A