MEETING THE DOMINIONS' WISHES

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 46, 22 February 1917, Page 7

MEETING THE DOMINIONS' WISHES

AS EXPRESSED IN 1902.

(RENTER'S .'BLEfIRAM.)

LONDON, 20th February.

The report of Lord Balfour of Burleigh's Committee was accompanied by a letter to the Prime Minister recalling the fact that the Premiers' Conference of 1902 unanimously passed a resolution urging the Imperial .Government to grant preference to the Dominions' products. The signatories consider that the time has now arrived to grant the request, considering the sacrifices and the services rendered by the Dominions in the war. The committee proposes to report later on the question of a" wider range of Customs duties, and how the Dominions- could be met by granting them-subsidies in Heu of tariff preferences. The committee does not overlook the practical difficulties involved, but emphasises the fact that for the purpose of recovering 'the trade lost during the war, securing new markets,, and consolidating the Empire's- resources, the development throughout the Empire of a system of mutual tariff preferences is a subject which cannot be neglected. The signatories are satisfied that there are no insuperable obstacles. Embodied in the resolution is a memorandum by Sir F. E. Smith, Attorney ; General, who is a member of the committee, recommending a confidential discussion with the Dominions before recommend-, ing a policy which may involve a fiscal] policy towards Britain's Allies. _ !' The committee reports that it is intended to discuss in detail the future of Empire trade relations and the general commercial and industrial post-war policy. The announcement of the forthcoming Imperial Conference makes it expedient merely to state the committee's views in the form of resolutions (see above). "Although measures acting in restraint of trade are distasteful to some of the committeemeri, we think it, necessary i for the sake of the unity of the Empire to make a serious attempt to meet the declared wishes of the Dominions for the development of their economic relations with the United Kingdom, but"' have decided that anyabstract views we hold should not stand in the way of important measures in the general interests of the Empire."