RISKS OF RECIPROCITY
CANADIAN-AUSTRALIAN TRADE TREATY,
(UNITED PRISS ASSOCIATION.—COPTRIOHT.)
(SYDNEY SUN CABLE.)
";■■ ] OTTAWA, 2nd February. With the opening of Parliament only three days off it is persistently rumoured that owing to the opposition of the Western Provinces to the AustralianCiirliidiun trade agreement the Government would not be entirely, ■dissatisfied if the treaty failed to secure ratification. '
The Western Farmers' Progressive Party, on whose 66 votes the .Governmentdepends- has been conducting a vigorous campaign against the agreement, -particularly against Australia's decision regarding the percentage of British labouV entitling goods to preferential treatment. There is, however, no sug'gest(ion this* the Government will drop the ratification Bill, or that the Government is in any danger, of defeat.
According to authoritative information retail grocers' organisations oppose the raisin duty in the treaty, claiming that the increase m.the cost of the commodity will heavily decrease the consumption, which has been relatively large upon the western prairies, where no fruit -is grown, and fresh'fruits are always dear. It is estimated that the raisin duty yill cost the consumers in Canada more than a^ million dollars a year. The reply, of the Canadian Ministers, who were most active in negotiating the treaty, Messrs. Kobb and Low, is that the increase in prices, if any, will be only temporary, and not too much to offset the undoubted advantages which would be secured by paper and automobile manufacturers. The interests concerned in these two industries nre extremely powerful, and, with the support they can summon in both ■Ithei!'Libeftil';'- bind?' ■' Conservative Parties, will be behind the treaty. One or two Cabinet -Ministers, with Western constituencies, privately make no secret of their 1 opposition to the treaty, but they would certainly not' co the length of carrying their 1 dissatisfaction outside ,the walls of .the Cabinet Council into the House of Commons, -
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 29, 4 February 1925, Page 5
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301RISKS OF RECIPROCITY Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 29, 4 February 1925, Page 5
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