THE TARIFF AGITATION

Hokitika Guardian, 7 May 1924, Page 1

THE TARIFF AGITATION

[by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

>I.ON DON, -May (3. At the Imperial Industries Club's dinner. Sir James Allen presided. ,\lr ,|. 1,. AlcDougall said that owing to tlie unfortunate aftermath of the Economic Conference, Australia would probably have to extend the British “junior larilf preference to Canada. II" as-sorted the | orer, cotton, •woollens. and dyes duties well illustrated the deliheiate shelter from foreign coniretition given to British trade by the Australian preferences, lie asked would Britain realise that an orderly policy of Kmpire development might lie the only safeguard in an era of intensified industrial competition, which the restoration of Europe must involve. It was essential, if Kmpire development was to he safe in the hands of the British Democracy that, it should be made clear tfi.»t Imperial policy was never imperious and that the ideals of the. Km pi res of Spain or Portugal, with their prohibitions of trade to all foreigners. eould never he revived, and that they <1 i<i not intend to follow the KX) per rent, discrimination against foreigners which America and Japan now employed in their dependencies. The British ideal must lie an Empire as selfdependent ns possible, concerning essential foodstuffs and raw materials, the Commonwealth within which British trade would reasonably bo preterrod, but from which foreign competition was not excluded. But it was most important that the Kmpire should he a union of free peoples. With this ideal of Empire development they must win the affections of the British Democracy and British Labour. Sir .f. Conk said Australia- and Non Zealand, took up the position that they begged for nothing, hut were conscious that it was not in the interest of the Empire that they should have to betake themselves to a course that now remained open to them, i hey lolt tha if the Empire was good enough to lig..i for. it was good tnougli to trade with, and they declined to apply strict mathematical, economic considerations to the development of the Empires future. Bather ihoy iell hack upon a King's statement that it was their duty even at some sacrifice, to develop the familv estate.