IMPERIAL TRADE

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 48, 20 November 1925, Page 9

IMPERIAL TRADE

BRITAIN’S POLICY CRITICISED ALL NEEDS SATISFIED WITHIN EMPIRE DOMINIONS’ HELP TO MOTHER COUNTRY A speaker at the National Economic Conference at Winnipeg characterised Britain’s freetrade policy as a cold-blooded and selfish doctrine. Another speaker, in an appeal for Empire trade, said every need which human ingenuity could suggest could be satisfied within the Empire. Br Telegeafh.—Press Association. Copyright. (Rec. November 19, 5.5 p.m.) Ottawa, November 18. Characterising Britain’s free-trade policy as a “cold-blooded and selfish doctrine,” the Hon. Bell Irving, member of the Vancouver Board of 'trade, in an address on Imperial trade relations at the National Economic Conference at Winnipeg, attended by delegates from all the provinces, on Wednesday, warned his hearers against the dangers of “benevolent aloofness.” He maintained that the policy should'have been scrapped twenty-five years ago, and if persisted in might wreck the Empire. He said, "Canada first and the Empire next, should be the watchword of the Dominion.”

An appeal for trade within the Empire was also made by Mr. W. F. Cockshutt, of Ontario, an agricultural who said this was the best method of keeping the Empire together. He said even' need which human ingenuity could suggest could be satisfied within the Empire. The Dominions, by helping. Britain to bear the tremendous financial burdens under which she was tottering, would make “Uncle Sam sit up and take notice.”—Reuter.

STEPS TO PROMOTE EMPIRE TRADE SCHEME OF ASSISTED SETTLEMENT (Rec. November 19, 7.20 p.in.) Ottawa, Noveuiber 18. A Winnipeg message states that the Canadian Boards of Trade Conference passed a resolution on Imperial trade relations, urging upon the Dominion Government the development of Imperial trade relations, emphasising that trade within the Empire should be the major objective of the Dominion Government, and that whatever steps may be necessary to promote the development of Empire trade should be taken bv the Canadian Government. A resolution on colonisation and immigration urged the Federal Government to undertake the creation immediately of a non-political. advisory board or commission on colonisation and agri- ' cultural development, composed. of •Canada’s'leading experts on the subject and skilled business executives, for early investigation of the feasibility, of a great agricultural and. colonisation forward movement, including a scheme of moderately assisted settlement, available to desirable agricultural settlers of European and American origin. The formation of a Dominion Board of Trade was agreed upon.—Reuter.