IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 107, 9 May 1907, Page 5

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

The Dangers of Preference

Press Association.—Copyright, Received May 8, 10.8 p.m.

London, May 8,

Lord Elgin said that personally he was satisfied to accept Mr Asquith's and Mr Lloyd-George's statements, but Mr Churchill would say a few words.

Mr Churchill dealt chiefly with the parliamentary party and diplomatic aspects of preference, and declared that any such scheme must contain dangerous possibilities of mischief and prove an aggravation of political perils. He could imagine nothing more injurious to good relations than raising bitter questions of taxation every year which was certain to lead to severe criticisms of the colonies, causing ati inexhaustible source of vexation. Preference was only possible by means of taxation of six or seven staple articles of food and raw materials which the United Kingdom would never accept. However light the duties were they were bound to affect prices, which impoverished the people, who were sure to resent concessions bringing such results. This would cause sullen anger and was certain to breed unhappy consequences, besides greatly intensifying party bitterness, immensely increasing the difficulties to which they were already exposed in the discharge of parliamentary business. Many favouring preference as evidence of goodwill would recoil from the necessary schedules of taxation. He appealed to the delegates not to establish any relationship interfering with self government, the root principle of the Empire, or consisting of any commercial tie formed by legislative means. He thought it possible good results might come from Sir Joseph Ward's suggestions, which were deflections from the direct question of preference. The colonies should bluntly state what taxes for preference they would impose on the Motherland. It would be highly dangerous to associate the idea of Empire in the minds of the masses with enhanced prices. If the electors ever demanded the removal of a food tax and they found it necessary to consult governments scattered all over the world, the structure of Empire would receive a shock such as it never before sustained. Some day, when Imperial unification had reached higher development, men would regard the decision of the Conference of 1907 as a successful avoidance of one grand wrong turn.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier preferred to reaffirm the resolution of 1902 to adopting Mr though he concurred in the first of Mr Deakin's two additional resolutions. Sir Wilfrid stated that preference had cortainly increased Canada's and Britain's trade, but he admitted the absolute right to adopt whatever fiscal system was best suited to her internal conditions. He would be glad to apply Canada's lower preferential tariff to all British colonies. He claimed that there was no justification on the ground of sanitation for continuing the injustice of excluding Canadian live cattle. Mr Asquith promised that the Board of Agriculture would seriously consider this subject.