THE SESSION AT SYDNEY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 16 September 1909, Page 3

THE SESSION AT SYDNEY.

YESTERDAY'S FURTHER PROCEEDINGS. THE PREFERENTIAL RADE PROBLEM. (Reed. 10.35 a.m.) . SYDNEY, Thursday. . At" the Empire-Chambers' of Cpmmerce Sydney "'Congress; Mr Spicer, M:P., announced that he would join the Sydney Chamber in Sie vote in favor of the'preferential trade resolution, but as an individual he would vote against it. Britain had not the slightest desire to interfere with the trading condi-.tions-as they grew in self-governing dominions. Eeaob part of the Empire must be left to work out its own sal vation in maters of trade. Britain was ex'tremelv grateful for' the preference bythe colonies given her, but if the colonies. now asked-some, preference in return *the Old'. Country .'could' not say where it could give'it. •. .It -had been admitted that it could not be given'on raw material, and whether, they liked it or not it came to'a question-of preference on food, which the different parts'of the Empire were producing in large quantities. Any countiy whichhad surplus food production could consider the question of protection in a very .different way from a country which had to import food suplies, as Britain had to do. The British Empire was not ring-fenced like the United States, Germany or Australia, but scattered in dieffrent parts of the world. He felt tihat what would be focd for one part would be poison for another, and that a binding system would lead to difficulties and/ probably ultimate disaster. What had the M6th. er Country to offer i nthe way of preference? He would mention some preferences that' had " been already given: The Old Country had given the oversea dominions preference ih some way. on the question of defence, as was shown, by the difference iri, the cost per capita to Britain and her dependencies; Preference was given, too, in connection with colonial stocks and bonds. • It-had been said that opinions were changing _f but if the next general election produced a result which would lead to a system whereby preference would b given colonial wheat and there' followed higher prices, tflie greatest blow would be dealt to the unity oi the Empire. ,He wished them to look at iin a broad light—in the "light of our international relations. /The, Empire had been allowed to grow with comparatively -j'ttie JeaJousy on iflie! (part of other great European nations, because Britain "had treated them all;exactly on the same lines. There had been" the open door wherever she had gone. In the . Crown . colonies,- protectorates, and India, all foreign countries were allowed to send • their goods on exacly the same terms -as British goods. He believed that had made for. the world s peace. It had been said that England had got behind"/ "but if so'the . colonies ■ would bev doing themselves the greatest .disservice by 'buying '•■■ from 'England that was not ,hes.t':. suited-; for"their best work. He believed that, durd ingtheVlast 16 ,or 20 .years>Bntam lm? been* adapting herself in;the manufacture of articles to the needs lot new.:<countries, - and |e believed; that the .visit of -the English delegates, to Australia and the. - observations they woul.dmake and the* results would do TmoVe than- any attempt to bind the different part* together m a ; way that might'lead-, only todisunity. . (Received 11^15 a:hi.) .*, .... -sYDJfECj-.-Thufs^ay. A. -Mr McPherson,. (Melbourne) ' de clared that 'Australia wanted.-'to give England preference in all things she had to import. Mr Pcate (Leeds) 1 declared that tho Leeds Chamber decidedly favourTea tariff reform. Preferential trade -would cause a decline of British manufactures, and.;not obsolete machinery or unskilled labour.. Tariff walls had'been raised so.high against British goods that- no machinery, Imm-er e'ffieSent, would enable British manufacturers to climb over th6m.* They would soon have either Imperial unity or Imperial disintegration.. The. time had arrived wheu the fiscal policy of England should bc •earefully reconstructed.