EMPIRE TRADE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 140, 12 June 1912, Page 11

EMPIRE TRADE.

jHE RECIPROCITY QTJESXION. ADDRESS BY MR. BEDDOE. 0j Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WHANGAREI, Tuesday. At the invitation of the Chamber of Commerce, Sir. \V. A. Beiidoe, Canadian ftaasß (jonuuiesioner, addressed a large gatbering of Whangarei busiiie.MS and piolessionai men in tno Uddfellous' nali last night, tlie subject eliuacu being "How Preferential I'liriti' Proinolea Trade." Mr. VV. A. Carrutii presided. j£r. Beddoe, who was roceiveU with Ipud applause, opened by :>pe.ikiiig about Canada: '' a s ' ze vaac resources. .With a population <:■[ rigtit millions, Canada nas an area 31! limes that'oi Hew Zealand, and cme-tliird larger than Australia. Although Canada in size ■was ii third of. tin- British Kcipire, it only accounted for two per cent of its population. Certainly 4 2 jxt cent of Canadians spoke French, but it was owing to the French Canadians that Canada was preserved to tbo British Empire. They were all good citizens, and proud to be loyal subject? of Britain. Contuiuingt the speaker gave examples of progress since the first Government had been appointed in 1792. Everything was on a large scale, but whatever was large in Canada wa.s large in the British Empire. They were proud of it, as adding to the might and majesty of the Empire. In Canada was over 00 per cent of the known nickel of the world, and as this was U3ed in tempering steel', they would b4 in a position to control the building of Dreadnoughts if necessary.

Coming to the subject proper, he said that Canada believed in preferential ■trade within the Empire, and especially between the Dominions. Reciprocal preferential trade was better still, and this had bepn arranged between Canada and New Zealand. Transportation facilities had been arranged, both frOTn the Eastern and Western sides, to New Zealand. From the Eastern sid>e a vps-sel was dispatched every month from either Montreal or Halifax to Xew Zealand. No Government, except Canada, subsidised towards tlmt service. Sperial provision had been made for Xew Zealand homeward freight by refrigerating spaces on vessels. Those were not required for Canadian export matprial, and it was a matter of amazement that so far New Zealand had not availed herself of this service to send butter, etc., direct, although it was a fact that New Zealand ppjduce sent direct to London and thence across tfie Atlantic had brought a payable price in Canada, 't was a wonder business men did not ship mutton direct io Montreal. Since the service had been tatajblishecl in'11)10, it had never been utilised, but these vessels lfed left.New Zealand in ballast to load in Australia.

The establishment of the present Vancouver service by mutually arranged subsidies had given a great impetus to butter ' export from New Zealand." In ■181J|_2Jew Zealand had sent 2.058 boxes of Butter to Canada, via San Francisco. this had increased to . 26.C69 bofra direct to Vancouver. Some of ttteiSp had come,, from Whangarei. Some ofAhis butter found' its way to Ottawa, tfi&e it was sold at ]/7 per pound, as against 1/R demanded for the local product;. TJTe"Zealandia, when I'eaving last- Fniaif, took 750 carcases of beef, being the first shipment in bulk {o Canada. Why iMs opening for a large export trade had Ml teen utilised before was difficult to understand, especially when you had both, vessel and preferential tariff. Wlai was the use of establishing preferential tariff and transportation facilities unless mutual business resulted.

Another aspect was that reciprocal trade between the oversea dominions tended to solidify and enrich the Empire. Caiada liad given Kew Zealand what is called British preference—33 1-3 per cent better than any foreign country.

Mr. Beddoe was asked if Canada, as a dominion, was in favour of an Imperial Jiavy to work in Imperial interests? He replied that the naval policy of Canada Vas not only to provide ships, but to establish dockyards and shipbuilding yards, believing it not a good policy to jay others to do what they, could do ttemaelfes. The fleet would be under Canadian control in time of peace, at the sDsplufe disposal of the British Admiralty in time of "war.

Mr. Beddbe was accorded a most hearty vote of {hanks for his interesting and able address, which created more than a passing impression on his JiMrers. .

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