SUEZ CANAL DUES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1148, 8 June 1911, Page 5

SUEZ CANAL DUES.

BAR TO BRITISH TRADE.

SIR JOSEPH WARD MAKES A STRONG

PROTEST.

THE PREMIERS AT BRISTOL,

By Telecraph—Press Association—Oopyrieht (Rec. June 7, 11.35 p.m.) London, June 7.

General Botha (South African I'rime Minister) and Sir Joseph Ward (I'rime Minister of New Zealand) were accorded a civic reception at Bristol. There was an enthusiastic crowd outside tho council house, where tho reception was held.

General Botha delivered a speech in which he contrasted' the occasion with the time when he did his very best to prevent Englishmen surrounding him. They were now surrounding him as friends, and he was representing a country where English and Dutch had grasped hands in friendship for. ever.

General Botha, Mr. Fisher, and Sir Joseph Ward were afterwards tho guests of the Chamber of Commerce at dinner.

Sir Joseph Ward, in responding to the toast, "The Prime Ministers of the Oversea Dominions," dealt with closer union with the Motherland, and the practical work of the Imperial Conference. It was no use assembling unless they left a record of work telling, its tale in the future. He believed the present conference would show a record of work valuable to thoso attending the nextr conference.

Ho wanted to take the opportunity at this meeting of representatives of commerce and shipping to ask them to consider how to get rid of tho detestable toll bar between Britain and the Dominions' in the shape of the extortionate charges for every ton of cargo traversing through the Suez Canal. If they desired to bring the distant portions of the Empire into closer touch they must havo the means of transport as cheap as possible.

A great shipping company had stated that dues amounting to .£30,000 were imposed on one lino of steamers traversing the Canal, the sum. being equal to the whole of the payments made for officers and men. Was it not time that Britain and France, as owners of tho Suez Canal, began to realise that over a million sterling was taken as far as one partner was concerned, from the pockets of those using the Canal over and above the dividend of three per cent, on capital? This was extortionate.

Ere long their American cousins, who were going to control the Panama Canal, would show they had not made the mistake of putting a large bar .against shipping and tho development of trade across the Pacific.

His motion had brought the question before tho last Conference, and he heartily endorsed Mr. Fisher's efforts in the same direction at this Conference. It was a matter of exceptional importanco in connection with tho trade in perish-able-products.

Sir Joseph Ward concluded by urging tho Motherland to co-operate with Canada, 'Australia, and New Zealand, to secure tho completion of a State-owned cable as projected several years ago, and of which the first link had been successfully laid across tho Pacific to Canada.

General Botha emphasised the farroaching importance of tho Imperial Government's decision to tako the Dominions into her confidence in relation to external problems. This policy would greatly strengthen tho causo of Imperial unity.