DOMINION PREFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 107, 7 May 1924, Page 7

DOMINION PREFERENCE

SHELTER FROM FOREIGN COMPETITION .",.:-

"EMPIRE GOOD ENOUGH TO TRADE

fDjniSD FBBSS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.) - (AUSTRALIAK-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) ''■''■ '■■■:■ LONDON, 6th May. At the Imperial Industries Club dinner, Sir James Allen .presiding, Mr. F. L. M'Dougall said that owing to, the. unfortunate afterniath of the Economic Conference Australia would : probably have to extend the British paper preference to Canada. \ Paper, cotton, woollens,'and dyes well illustrated, the deliberate shelter from foreign competition given to British trade by Australian preferences. Would Britain realise that an , •orderly policy of Empire :■" development might be the only safeguard in an era of intensified industrial competition which the restoration of-Europe must involve? It was essential that'if Empire develop- \ ment v>as 'to be safe in the hands of the -British" democracy it: should *\ be made clear that the Imperial policy was never imperious^.that the.ideals of the' empires of Spain and Portugal with their; pro-, hibitions 'of trade, to, all foreigners, could never be revived,: and that: we did not intend to ;follow the 100 per. cent, discrimination against '' foreigners which America and Japan how employed, in their dependejicifis. Our ideal must" bean Empire as self-dependent as possible concerning .essential foodstuffs and raw materials—a commonwealth. within; which British trade would reasonably, be preferred, hut in which; foreign competition /Was not excluded. .' But 'it was most mi. portarit. .that the Empire should be a union of free peoples. "With, this ideal of .Empire .development we must win the' affections of British /democracy and British labour. -.. / -,V: , ::. • '.■ Sir .Joseph .Cook said .Australia - and New Zealand took up the position that they begged, for nothing, but were conscious ;that it was not-in. the interests of the Empire that, they, should have to betake themselves .to --the-: course that now . remained open.to them.: ■ They, felt that- if the Empire. "was good enough- to fight, for .it was' good' enough. to trade with, and^they declined to apply a strict mathematical and economic consideration to the ; development Vof the -Empire's future. Bather, they; fell back upon the Kings statement that it was their duty, even at some sacrifice, 'to develop the family estate. "■,'■ '