OFFER TO CANADA

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 275, 16 August 1932, Page 9

OFFER TO CANADA

Britain Gives Preferences CONDITIONS IMPOSED (Rec. August 15, 7.45 p.m.) Ottawa, August 14. A further authoritative disclosure regarding the Anglo-Canadian negotiations at the Imperial Conference gives details of the offer Britain has now made to Mr. R. B. Bennett, the Canadian Prime Minister. These are:— (1) Continuation of the present preferences. , , . (2) Preference on wheat of da a bushel. „ (3) Preference on copper of 2d a pound. (4) An additional 10 per cent, preference on lumber, totalling 20 per cent., with an assurance that upon Canadian complaint of Russian dumping the British Govern-, ment will investigate. , These preferences are what Canada asked for. In other respects the offer does not meet Canada’s requirements. . Britain’s offer concedes nothing regarding dairy products, meat or metals except copper. Britain bases her refusal to grant preference, on bacon at the. present time on the ground that a British commission is investigating the bacon situation and nothing can be done till its report has been received. , The foregoing British offer is made in return for preferences which Canada on reconsideration of the original proposals later offered. These include iron and steel products, textiles, woollens, cottons, linens, leather goods, coal, and Canada’s assurance of "fair competition” all along the line for British goods. It is also conditional upon Canada agreeing to grant British manufacturers a right of appeal to the proposed Canadian Tariff Commission with a view to securing this fair competition. The Canadian delegation has not yet accepted the British offer, which is not regarded as the last word. The Canadians have expressed to the British delegation strong dissatisfaction at the failure to give more definite as-, surances regarding the control of Russian dumping of lumber and wheat. On the other hand the British representatives have politely but emphatically declared that a continuance of the preferences Britain had granted Canada under the December Tariff Act must be considered as part of Britain’s present offer an<J that these preferences would be cancelled if agreement is not now reached. It would seriously concern the Australian and New Zealand delegations if they thought this repre'sented Britain's final offer to Canada, because it would indicate little hope of meat and butter quotas. They consider meat and butter are still open questions and they are hopeful that a satisfactory arrangement will yet be made. Moreover they believe that Britain has not given her final verdict on Soviet dumping.