BRITISH TREATIES.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 157, 19 June 1911, Page 8

BRITISH TREATIES.

QUESTION OF RELIEVING

DOMINIONS.

SIR WILFRID LAURIER’S PROPOSAL.

• (Received 17, 1.35 p.m.) London, June 16. Mr. Asquith presided at the Im- , penal Conference to-day. Sir Wilfrid Laurier moved :— “ That the British Government be requested to negotiate with the Powers in order to relieve i the Dominions, so desiring, from I the operations of treaties.” i Sir Wilfrid Laurier referred to ! Australia’s experience when it ! wished to give preference to British goods in British ships, which had [ been prevented by the favoured j nation clause. This showed the neI cessity of his proposal. Canada * was now faced with a similar difficulty in giving preference. It had been suggested that his proposal would destroy the principle of commercial unity, but such principle did not exist. The Motherland had free trade and the Dominions had tariffs, and no two tariffs agreed. Commercial diversity existed instead of commercial unity. There was no difficulty in understanding that when Great Britain 'made a treaty fo suit her own requirements, it might not suit the dominions. His idea was to bring old treaties into line with newer ones. The proposal should be coupled with three principles: (1) it should be the Dominions’ first effort to develop trade as far as possible with the Motherland; (2) they should not confine their efforts I’ to British markets, but should be allowed, as their second object, to increase trade with other nations; »and (3) that any benefits given by the Dominions to other nations should be given to the Motherland and the other Dominions. i Mr. Fisher said Sir ’Wilfrid ; Laurier’s arguments commended | themselves to the Commonwealth. The Dominions appreciated the difficulties, and strongly wished, i without embarrassing the Home t Government, to have the British treaties modified in the way pro- ( posed. I Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. Morris, -and Genera! Botha supported Sir I Wilfrid Laurier’s motion.

• ROYAL COMMISSION TO RE

APPOINTED.

Sir Edward Grey said he could accept the resolution as In* realised . that old treaties, not containing • the option of the newer, must sometimes embarrass the dominions. Questions have been raised with j Italy, in response to Common- ‘ wealth request, and a reply has been received that it will be necessary to denounce the existing treaty and negotiate for a new treaty. If that attitude were generally adopt cd it would be incon- | venient to denounce before a new | agreement were secured. The case i might be met by agreeing to open negotiations for modifications, and :if that failed, it would be best to ’ negotiate for new treaties without denouncing he old. He accepted the resolution, which on that uuder- , standing was adopted. i During the discussion of the Commonwealth’s resolution urging the development of fuller commercial intercourse, .Sir Wilfrid Laurier moved to approach the Imperial Government to appoint a Royal • Commission to enquire into tlie natural resources ami trade of the whole Empire. Mr. Asquith agreed, and the ’ motion was adopted.