TARIFF TREATY

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 June 1925, Page 5

TARIFF TREATY

APPROVED -BY- CANADA (Cnntrilian and N.Z.- Cable A&ociation.) OTTAWA, ’ June’ v 24. The Premier, Air. Mackenzie King, during the 7 flcba& ' o'u; the Australian Treaty, said that Canada had been trying for twenty years to' establish reciprocal trade • relations with Australia. This treaty represented 1 a Defining of Inter-Imperial trade; which would be ■increasingly valuable to the Dominion as the years went by. •ft Canada failed to ratify the Treaty nojv, the concessions whicli Australia made might be repealed and’progress in that direction might be set back for years, if not for .generations. He did not believe the tariff concessions made to Australia would . seriously affect any industry in Canada. ’. ’ He urged Ihe House to consider the Treaty in the light of Imperial, rather than local or sectional considerations. The treaty was negotiated’ when the world trade conditions were favourable to an understanding between the two countries.

The Treaty Bill passed through all stages of the House of Commons. It now goes to the Senate. When the Bill was up for the,,second reading, a division was called, for by the Progressive members, and the ti oaty was supported by eighty votes and opposed by forty-two. The opposition to the treaty came mostly from the Conservatives. /■

The “Montreal.. Star” says.: “Now that the long-delayed trade treaty, with Australia’is before the Hou.sC of Commons, with a very limited tiffie. for its discussion, it is to be hoped that Parliament will not bungle the issue. The treaty will establish pre.-,. ferential relations with Australia f.qr. the first time in our history.' Every past effort to bring about such an agreement has proved abortive, thoughNew Zealand has long enjoyed pre-.; ferential relations with us. The present situation is that we have an opportunity to conclude an agreement, that will certainly provide machinery for a substantial increase in d'lir Australian trade. We cannot afford deliberately to neglect such opportunities, given the necessary safeguards for our established industries.” HOA[ELAND LACE DUTIES. LONDON, June 24. The House of Commons agreed to a Government motion applying an imperial preference of one-third on imports of lace and embroidery.