CO885-(6-7) — Page 478

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COMMERCIAL,

KELATIONS,

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

C.O. 885

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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COMMERCIAL RELATIONS,

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Sir George Turner.] With the view of increasing the trade-I would be prepared to agree.

Mr. Kingston.] Would it do in this way: that the trade relationships between the mother country and the Colonies will be brought to the notice of their colleagues by the Premiers present with the view to submission of pro- posals for their extension.

Mr. Harry Escombe.] Is not that a bit playing with the thing. Do we not want to say this or that? whether or not we intend-

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] We are only doing that trying to improve the trade. You had a suggestion, Lord Selborne, to make a moment ago.

The Earl of Selborne.] I can write it.

Sir George Turner.] It is not our own views that we have to deal with so much as the views of the mass of the people. We do not want to bring forward a proposal and fail in that proposal.

The Earl of Selborne.] It was upon that that I was going to speak. You

"What are you going to get in exchange ?” say:

Sir George Turner.] Yes.

year.

The Earl of Selborne.] You see you get, in case of difficulty or danger, besides the free trade which Mr. Reid has mentioned, the unlimited use to the last man and the last shilling of the navy and the army, worth 40 millions a If did not get that, every one of us would have to spend a great

you deal more than we do now in our defence. Is there a single State in South America that does not spend over and over again every year what each of you have to spend, and if that is a gift, surely it is not generous to say: "We have got that already and therefore we cannot count it.'

us, but Sir George Turner.] That is all very well when you are dealing with when you are dealing with the mass of the people they may not look at it in that light. I could admit the force of your argument, but the mass of the people will not.

The Earl of Selborne.] Have you not got to educate them ?

Mr. Reid.] No man objects to Protection more than I do, but I would be prepared to join the other Premiers in a forward move.

Sir George Turner.] You are in an entirely different position.

Mr. Reid.] And so for

my

Free Trade.

Sir George Turner.] What articles have you got duties on now?

Mr. Reid.] We have spirits, which are chiefly made in England, and also in France.

Sir George Turner.] But you have the same.

Mr. Reid.] And I say that if the other Colonies agree to make a forward move in the direction of Free Trade, I, on all the articles for which I have the tariff, would do the same.

Sir George Turner.] But have you got any articles which are manufac- tured in your own country?

Mr. Reid.] Yes.

Sir George Turner.] Because spirits are only manufactured to a very small extent. Excise and customs are the same; in Victoria excise is 2s. less than import duty, and we get about 100,0007. excise duty.

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Mr. Reid.] And you lose a lot of money by it.

Sir George Turner.] But we encourage our own trade.

Mr. Reid.] And that is why you are very poor.

Sir George Turner.] We are not so very poor; we have not got two million a year from the sale of our land.

Mr. Reid.] I am inclined to reduce the rates to the local distillers, as well as to Great Britain, but I would not mind all those things which I would be taunted with very much, if you would all take a forward move in your vast tarifi.

The Secretary of State.] How does this meet the views which have been "That in expressed by Mr. Kingston, Mr. Seddon, and Sir John Forrest ?

the hope of improving the trade relations between the mother country and the Colonies, the Premiers present undertake to confer with their colleagues and their Parliaments with the view to seeing whether such a result can be properly secured by a preference given by the Colonies to the products of the United Kingdom."

"

Mr. Reid.] "And their Parliaments are unnecessary, because if our colleagues object we cannot get to the Parliaments. that out.

The Secretary of State.] Does that meet your view?

Mr. Kingston.] I would like to hear the last part again.

Let us leave

The Secretary of State.] It is first "That in the hope of improving the trade relations the Premiers undertake to confer with their colleagues with the view of seeing whether such a result can be properly secured"; that is the improvement of the trade relations; "whether such a result can be properly secured by preference given by the Colonies to the products of the United Kingdom.'

Mr. Reid.] "Properly secured," covers everything.

Mr. Kingston.] I do not like the word "undertake."

The Secretary of State.]" Are willing" perhaps you like.

Mr. Kingston.] Alter "undertake to" to "will," and put at the last part "such a result can be obtained by preferential tariffs." I would not mind that.

Sir John Forrest.] Using preference; I only wish we should do it to make it easier, and devise a means of carrying it into effect.

The Secretary of State.] That is so vague that it means absolutely nothing. We all mean that on the question which is before us it would be desirable to obtain any kind of preference; the question is whether the preference should be given, whether the example of Canada should be followed or not; that is the whole point.

Mr. Reid.] That is the whole point.

The Secretary of State.] If we leave out all reference whatever—

Mr. Kingston.] If you leave out preferential tariffs generally at the end, is there not a possibility that as regards some of those articles on which Britain imposes customs duties, that she might, by a reduction in favour of her Colonies, assist them very much?

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] That is possible. It will be difficult to put it in the way of a bargain though.

The Secretary of State.] Yes, I think so.

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Look at that, Mr. Kingston. I

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