THE PREFERENCE ISSUE.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 116, 17 May 1924, Page 7

THE PREFERENCE ISSUE.

CANADA AND BRITAIN. MUTUAL ADVANTAGES. OTTAWA, May 16. "Canada has-.given' preference in hei own interests as well as in what she conceived'to be the interests of the rest of the Empire." declared ttie Prime Minister, Mr. W. L. Mackenzie King, in correspondence with the Baldwin Government during the sittings of the last Imperial Conference. This correspondence is published to-day. In a letter to Sir P. Lloyd-Greame, who was then President of the Board of Trade, Mr. King stated that Canada's preference had never in the past been made conditional on the United Kingdom granting „ equal preference in return. The letter proceeded: "Should the British people decide at any time-that it would be in their own interests and what they conceive to be the interests of the Empire to make far-reaching changes in the present fiscal policy. Canada naturally expects in the establishment of a tariff that full and adequate consideration will be given through preferential duties to the interests of Canada's producers, and to the substantial preference which Canada accords to British goods." Mr. King's letter then outlined some of'the chief Canadian exports on which effective preference would be of most value, especially wheat.—(Reuter.) BRITISH NEWSPRINT. THE DOMINIONS' PREFERENCE. LONDON, May 16. Mr. Frank Lloyd; chairman of the Lloyd Newsprint Manufacturers' Association, speaking at a general meeting of the company, said ' the preference which New Zealand and Australia had generously ~ granted had materially assisted the British newsprint industry during the posf-war reconstruction period. It had helped to reduce the unemployment ratio materially. They were now approaching an economic basis,, which would enable the British manufacturers to lower export prices io a competitive level.—("Sun.") COMMENT IN JAMAICA. RECIPROCAL. TRADE. ■ "NEW YORK, May IC. A message from Kingston, Jamaica, states that public opinion there is strongly against* the British Government's attitude on preference. The newspaper "Gleaner," discussing the abolition of the McKenna duties said: "If this Labour Government continues in office to the end of the year, with a prospect of being again returned, the West Indies wilf be<*in to negotiate reciprocity treaties with any nation which offers us satisfactory terms for similar terms granted to them."—(A, and K.Z. Cable.)