IMPERIAL PREFERENCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 19 July 1920, Page 8

IMPERIAL PREFERENCE.

DISCUSSION IN THE COMMONS.

8Y CABl^rr-PRESS ASSOCJATIOfc-COPYBIOaT

(Reuter.) (Received July 19, 9 a.m.) LONDON, July 17. In the Commons, Captain Wedgwood Benn proposed the repeal of. Imperial preference duties. He declared that they were ■trifling and absurd: The policy of Imperial preference led to economic friction, and was adverse to the world's peace. The Right Hon. Chamberlain (Chancellor of the Exchequer), replying, declared that the object of preference was to give a practical example of Imperial unity. The advantage lay in the growing prosperity of' oversea territories, resulting in an increase in their trade with the Mother Country. He denied that preference led to friction with the Dominions. Every party in every Dominion approved of Imperial preference. The motion was rejected by 130 to 39.

Captain Benn then moved a motion with the. object of preventing preference applying to' the mandated territory.

Mr Baldwin (Secretary to the Treasury) pointed out that the proposal was premature, as the terms of the mandates were not yet known. This motion was rejected by 148 to 45.