ENGLAND’S COMMERCIAL TREATIES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 9430, 3 June 1891, Page 3

ENGLAND’S COMMERCIAL TREATIES.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,— The importance o£ the above sub* jact to Now Zealand must bo .my excuse for again troubling you with a letter. I have been asked what is the meaning of the ,f raosb-favoured-nation" clause? and I will, with your permission, take this opportunity of answering. The meaning, as I understand it, is that Great Britain has pledged herself and her Colonies not to enter into any commercial treaty for a long term of years, without allowing Belgium and Germany, and the other most-favoured nation treaties to participate in it aa favoured nations. The effect of these clauses is to place both Great Britain and her Colonies in the position of foreign countries as regards each other, or, in other words, to lay the Empire under treaty obligations to maintain commercial disunion. This certainly ia a most absurd thing to do. While at the same time we talk of drawing closer the bonds of union, one portion of the Empire is expressly forbidden to make its own terms with another for their mutual benefit. To quote a writer, “ What is needed, and needed at once, ia a strong and unanimous outcry from the Colonies against the renewal of these ridiculous agreements. If renewed, it might be for ton years; and what may not be the necessities of the Empire before that period expires ? Imperial Federation is in the air, but, anxious aa many are to see the binding together more closely of the integral portions of this wonderful, this unrivalled brotherhood of AngloSaxons, they feel that, without some form of commercial benefits resulting from the union, there is a name and little mote/' Trusting some abler pen than mine will take up this most important subject, I am, &c., D. BELLHOUSE.