THE PREMIER ON PREFERENTIAL TRADE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 808, 9 June 1903, Page 4

THE PREMIER ON PREFERENTIAL TRADE.

itefernngto prefcrentinl trade, Mr SeJdon j B^id, at Hokitika, he was neither a protec- j tionißt nor a froctrador. He lißd always 1 been a fair trader, and claimed that there was no depar.ure from free trade principles in what h,d been propounded. It had been snid that Grent Britain's supremacy w»s due to free trade, but he could take them baok to the time when tho Mother Country w<s under jirotrcium — when Cobden and Bright urged r.n open-door policy. In those days the conduiou of tilings wus not the same as to-day, for other. foreif<»i nations were carrying on the same: fiscal policy. ll«id Cobden, Bright, and other w.iters foreseen the altered conditions, and nations ertcting an absolutely piohilulhe barier against British goods, they v. ould h>ive said, " You must meet those aKcreil conditions, even by adopting thf same policy." This wa^ the only way for Britain to succ ssfully break riown the fiscal barrier against her. The Premier then referred to the operation of j the American co*fctal laws B^ainst British trrde. It was monstrous for Britaiu to I maintain an inactive policy. Naturally ' enough, other vmtio. s were profiting. Both G miany and America were invading -British trade and rltish communities. The retail price 3of goods were higher in America than in New Zealand. These high prices enabled the Americans to export at low pnees, and their high tariff prevenleil their ow-i pooplo importing from other s natione. It was a barrier against which other nations could not compete. The m Uer was discussed at the Conference of Premiers in London, and a repoution w»b carried. The import-i to hew Z ftUnd in 1895 from America vftre about £400.000 in value; last year the imports from that countiy wero £1,400,0C0, an mere.iFß of c,i.c m:Uion in six yeais. On the other h .nd, the Nftw Zealand export 10 , America showed v sttn y decieia. 3 . T. c wiy out of the situ tuai wa-< to bo a tolf contamed nation We should tuke all we could fiora the Motutr Co.:nl>y, and .'O s'.rengthen iLe Empire. Ho quoted speechts by American Senatur^ on tho Shipping Subsidy Bill bearing out his contentions »B j to the injurious iff- cts of the Ampiid n ! tariff and coßStal law? a]id on British trade. If. was also ciaimed Unit sovoreig: ty of tbe Pacific would he transferred tr- ti tbe TTnicn Jack to the Stars and Hripes The Premi r to k it that America would rule the Pacific by tra^.e, not by roon-o'.-wfuv This simply meant filching trude ii'jin the Moth r Country, but there would be a figh.. for that dnpreiriacy. (Cheers.) Where was the utility in aiding the Mocher Coumry as we had' done if. other nations leaped ihe advanli.gf.? Emigration, h« h»ld, should be directed to British dominions. Canada and other colonies offered great fields". There was room fur a great expansion of trade in the Mother Country. The colonies coujd not get orders completed under two years, flew Zealand had to go to America for locomo fives and rails, while there waa a difference of £1 per ton for rails in favor of Germany. Capitalists who were selfishly content to go on doing as they were i wrought lasting haim to the Empire. If Great Britain lost her commercial and industrial supremacy, there would be no necessity for ' the British fleet, and no means of mainiaining the power wielded to-day. He was sure the people of the colony Wt re with him in treating the question, not as one of free trade against protection, but an one of patriotism to the country, constitution, and flag. We should stand by and he p. (Cheers.) Statesmen should sink party diffei ences. The fullest investigation should lake place, end an alarming condition of things would then be disclosed, such aB were by the Moseley Commission, for instance. They fcind that America was giving Kngland raw cotton, but only that which she could not manufacture herself, and obtninit g a good price for it. Great Britain was losing ground in thft Pacific. American cotton was taking tbe plac^ of English, eyeu in -India. He had no fear now a* to the result, but we could help by giving preference before a country that blocked oviryihing British. (Cheers.) The colonies had made overtures to' the Mother Country that they were prepared to make Bacrificea outlined in ihe proposals made by the Premiers' Conference :—(1): — (1) Ten per cent, more Customs duty upon goods from alien countries compared with those of British manufacture carried in British ships. It was urped that ten per cent, ad valorem did not amount to much. By reducing the duty on English manufactured goods we might injure loctl industries. After careful discussion it was decided to fall into line with Canada and allow the present duties to obtain on goods brought in British bhips and increase the dutiea on goods manufactured in other countries. This would save our industries and' give British miinufantures an advantage. This Parliament would be. asked to ratify. He trusted the colony, and Parliament was ripe for it. By such an offer the people at Home would' realise we were in earnest. Of course, we could get our goods in the cheapest market. If our offers are scouted and our advice scoffed at by those at Home this position would bo forced upon us, and they would find the colonies rec ; procating with ali^n countries. There were three courses open :—: — (1) To maintain the present policy of drift; (2) to make -pveituie9 and ask the Mother Country to a-sist the colonies, who in turn should assist the Mother Country; (3) an arrangement, as. bevween America, and Canada, giving power of reciprocating wish other British, ooloniep. The Premier thought there should be law reciprocity with Canada and the Commonwealth, but if the other conditi ns passed into law, enabli- g .he dominions beyond the seas to reciprocate with alien nation?, such nations would rejoice. '1 his would na ! urally couie us a last extreme in the event of one of the proposals being scouted by the Mother Country. (Applause.) From the United Kingdom last year we imported L 6 851,452 in good*, from America L 1.821,956, from elsewhere L 3,153,315. Our exports in the came period to the TJni ed Kingdom were L 9,450,648, out of a total of L 13,044,977. Our duty was to stand by the country that took 70 per cent, of our exports. Hoars'Kßßb In A CniLD 'bat is subject to oroup is a. sure indication of the approach of the didea9e. ;If Chamberlain's Cough Kennedy is given as soon as the child Mscomes hoarse, or even after che croupy cough has appeared, . it will present the attack. It always cures nnd cures quickly. W. K. Wallace, Chemist sells' it. '•

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