CO885-(6-7) — Page 236

Printed for the use of the Cabinet.

Miscellaneous,

No. 100.

CONFIDENTIAL.

236

MEMORANDUM

ON THE

Ottawa Conference, 1894.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

LORD Jersey's Report on the Inter-colonial Con- ference held at Ottawa last summer has been issued as a Parliamentary paper and is in the hands of all the members of the Cabinet. I there- fore desire to bring the questions dealt with in that Report under the notice of my colleagues in order that we may be in a position, when Parlia- ment meets, to state the course which we intend to take with regard to them. The Report dis- tributes the subjects considered at the Conference into three divisions: Trade Relations, Steamship Communication, and Pacific Cable, and I will take them in the same order.

Trade Relations.

The principal point to be dealt with under this head is the special position of the Australian Colonies in regard to their power of entering into commercial agreements. In this respect they stand on a different footing from the rest of the colonies and are under special disabilities. By their original Constitution Acts they were pre- cluded from entering into any differential tariff arrangements with one another or with any other country or place. This prohibition was relaxed in 1873 so far as relates to such arrangements inter se, but remains in force as regards other colonies not in Australia. The consequence is that while Canada and the Cape are free to enter into such arrangements, Victoria and Canada are It seems to me that prohibited from doing so. this distinction between the different colonies cannot be maintained now that its withdrawal has been unanimously asked for by the Confer- ence. It appears to have arisen almost acci- dentally, it rests upon no principle, and as it is felt to be irksome it would be ungracious and un- wise to refuse to remove it. If the prohibition is to be withdrawn, an Act of Parliament will be Governors should be instructed to necessary. reserve any Bill establishing differential tariff ar- rangements so that the Imperial Government might be able to consider its provisions and the way in which it might affect British trade, before it came into operation at all, and to disallow it if necessary.

(9400)

A