BRITISH POLITICS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13170, 17 July 1908, Page 7

BRITISH POLITICS.

FREE TRADE-PRINCIPLES.

Usitcd Pros* Association—By Electric Telegraph-Copyright.

LONDON, July 1-3 Mr E. A. ViUiers, M.P., in introducing a large deputation of members of tho House of Commons to the Prime Minister, declared that the Government, in entering the Sugar Convention again, betrayed free trade principles, infringed the rights of the House of Commons and violated the Constitution. Several members of tho deputation dissociated themselves from this language. Mr Asquith described the accusatior-s as improper and unjustified by ihe facts. He assured tho deputation mat the ne-w Convention ivas in harmony with all the essentials of Fro© Trade principles, and did not contain any restriction as to tho sources of sugar. Hβ disclaimed tho idea of acting behind Parliament's back. Tho Government had explicitly announced its policy as early as. June, 1907. The action of the Unionist Government in subscribing to tho Sugar Bounties. Convention was severely criticised by tho Liberals before they came into power, on tho ground that, to benefit tho West Indies, the British public wore being bled to the extent of millions by tho higher prices of sugar consequent on tho penalising of cheap bounty-fed succar. In June of last year "Eir Ed.yard Grey announced that it was inconsistent with the declared policy of the Government and incompatible with tho interests or" British consumers and sugar manufacturers to continue to give effect to the provisions of the Convention requiring them to penalise sugars declared by the Permanent Commission to bo bounty-fed. Tho Government wero prepared to withdraw from the Convention, which expires in September next, but tho necessity for withdrawal was avoided by a supplementary protocol dispensing Great Britain from the obligation to enforce tho penal clause in the Convention, on certain conditions. The Government maintain that by this clause they have eliminated from the Convention tho protectionist principle, and at the same time —by preserving the Convention—have safeguarded consumers and manufacturers against the.•establishment of trusts and monopolies in this necessary article. Some Ministers, however, hold that the Government haro violated their free-trade principles by not withdrawing. Mr Villiers, tho M.P. mentioned in tho cable, delivered a strong attack on the Government on June 3rd, declaring that the Convention had cost the country six millions extra in three years.