PREFERENTIAL TRADE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 14191, 13 October 1906, Page 7

PREFERENTIAL TRADE.

AUSTRALIA AND BRITAIN. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. MELBOURNE, October 12. When the Preference Bill came back to the House pi Representatives after the Senate had a second time refused the Government’s amendment, the At-torney-General moved that, the House should no longer insist upon its amendments. It was forced into this position because to insist upon the amendments would mean putting an end to the Bill. It would now be presented to the Governor-General for his assent, and it would be for him.to say whether he would assent to it or not. If it ’ were reserved for the Royal assent it would he for the Imperial authorities to say whether they would accept it. If the Bill were not accepted it would be recognised that the fault did not lie with the House of Representatives. Mr Joseph Cook said that if the Bill •were lost it would certainly be the fault of the Government.* Mr Glynri urged the Government to withdraw the Bill, as it would only embarrass the Imperial authorities for the sake of a pettifogging piece of preference, that could not possibly benefit the Mother Country. They had not asked that this should be done in violation of Imperial obligations.

Mr Edwards said that the most important 1 phase of the subject was that if measures were defeated in this way by the Senate they would have to consider the institution of some system of by which the Ministry would have to be responsible to both Houses. After further debate the motion was agreed to and the Bill returned to the Seriate, which will consider it to-day.