Reciprocity with Australia.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17221, 11 August 1921, Page 6

Reciprocity with Australia.

Since his return to the Dominion, the Hon. E. P. Lee has repeated the opinion he expressed in his recent address to the students of Sydney University, that there appeared to be a barrier between Australia and -New Zealand in trade and other matters, the fault for this condition being chiefly with the /people of Australia. . He further expressed the view that there is scope for closer reciprocal relations between the two countries in trade, Customs duties, and pensions, and that negotiations to that end should be opened up.. By a curious coincidence the same mail that brought the papers containing reports of his address, also brought others in which it was stated that up to July 28th no reply had yet been received by the Federal Ministry to its letter to the New Zealand Government in.which it !■■ I- ' n»i I L ■ '

stated that it would be pleased "to "negotiate in the most sympathetic " way with regard to a reciprocal tar"iff arrangement between the two " countries."' By a further coincidence the announcement that the New Zealand Government had vetoed the importation of Australian jam appeared in the Sydney pajfers during Mr Lee's visit to that city. Under the circumstances Mr Lee's assertion that for the harrier which he saw between Australia and New Zealand, Australia was chiefly blameworthy seems to be little justified, since on the one hand we have Australia offering in a very friendly way '.o negotiate a reciprocal tariff treaty with New Zealand, and on the ether the Dominion Government apparently delaying even to acknowledge the offer and at the same time prohibiting the importation of an Australian product. It will strike most people thnt this is hardly the best way of promoting those closer trade relations which Mr Lee desires, and which should undoubtedly be brought into existence. It is absurd that, whereas this Dominion has had a reciprocal tariff arrangement with South Africa for the past fourteen years, it and the Commonwealth, the two essentially British communities in this part of the world, should still be treating each otner as foreign countries. We look forward to a time when all the overseas Dominions will be members of a Custom's Union, under which all will give preference to Great Britain and to each other. Such a scheme will come into being all the more quickly if such reciprocity as Australia is inviting from New Zealand is arranged between individual Dominions. Fifteen years have passed since an unsuccessful effort was made to bring about a reciprocal tariff between Australia and New Zealand, and as the amendment of the tariff is to come before our Parliament in this approaching session, there should be no more delay on the part of the Government in responding to the overtures of the Federal Government.