CANADA AND GERMANY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 83, 9 April 1910, Page 13

CANADA AND GERMANY.

LORD STRATHCOXA'S VIEWS. Lord Strathcona, High Commissioner for Canad«, discussed on 17th February with «n Ei.glinh pre«i« representative the new commercial convention just concluded between Germany and Canada. Outlining tluj wliolo courve of tho new negotiations which "ba\e led up to the present agreement, his loxclolnj) kaid that uncle i tho treaty of 1865 it waa stipulated that German produce should not be subjected, when imported into British colonies or possession!, to tny higher duty than the product) of the United Kingdom. The effect of that wai to preclude any preferential treatment between Canada and the Mother Country; and on 30th July, 1697, tho treaty wai denounced, and ceased to bo operative ou 30th July, 1898. German gooda thereupon became liablo to the general tariff rates in Canada. The German Government took exception to that actiou. •nd imposed its maximum tariff on imports from Canada. Canada followed by impon ing a burtax of one-third of the duty specified in the general tariff upon German imports. The remit of that, added Lord Stratheoua, was that'mueh of the product) obtained from Germany at that lime was afterward* got from this country ; but tho surtax »nd maximum tariff had now been removed, and it was impossible jet to Bay what benefit Canada would reap. Asked if Canada's latest commercial convention constituted a powerful argument for Tariff Reform in thig country. Lord Strathcona replied : "I don't know parly politics at all. I represent Canada, and therefore cannot speak for tho Government of Great Britain." Mr. G. M. Mosworth, vice-president of the Canadian Pacific Railway, now in London, made the following statement: — "Tho new treaty i» Fimply a return to the conditions which were prc-exihtent. When Canada gate Kngland preferential duticß,_ Germany demanded the same, and on being refused increased the rates of duty on Canadian imports. Canada retaliated by putting a corresponding tax on German imports. The new agreement reduces the present duties on German exports to Canada, and on Canadian exports to Germany. Both tho countries, therefore, arc simply reverting to the old condition?, and that naturally will have some influencp, I should say, in increasing trade." A prominent member of the London Chamber of Commerce e&id : — "Tho Canadian-Gorman agrpoment n a very important affair, and will no doubt greatly help the trade between the two countries. If is only a foretaste of what might come here if there is a change in our fiscal arrangement^ and is a useful objept-lecson of the advantages of reciprocal treatment between one country and !l *°,i' Cr - Thpro is no doilfct ab °"t it that the arrangement will be mutually beneficial to Canada and Germany, and it only shows that if you cannot get Freetracto all round, then it is in tho interests ot two countries who am large customer* of each other to entor into some sort of reciprocal arrangement. That is how it will strike any practical husinees man."