TRADE RECIPROCITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14601, 10 February 1911, Page 5

TRADE RECIPROCITY.

CANADA'S AGREEMENT*

PREFERENCE. TO COLONIES.

THE DANGER OF DELAY.

TARIFF REFORMER'S VIEW.

By Telesraph.-Press Association— Copyright. - (Received February 9. 11 p.m.) London, February 9Mr. Austen Chamberlain moved the Opposition's fiscal amendment to the Address-in-Reply in the House of Commons last evening. The Canadian-American agreement was, he said, the most conclusive instance of the value of a tariff for the purpose of commercial negotiations, and it would have a far-reach-ing effect. ' It took Canada out of the Imperial orbit, and drew her into the vortex of foreign politics. The agreement would hasten the process of the United States, throwing land out of wheat cultivation into other forms of cultivation, such as maize. America's draining of • the Canadian wheat supplies would result in dearer food. Another result of the agreement would be that an enormous stimulus would be given to stock raising in the United States, which would be placed in a more favourable position than Great Britain to secure Canada's products. There was, therefore, more urgent need than ever for Britain to come to terms with the other dominions before they were beset by foreign suitors. Mr. Sydney Buxton (President of the Board of Trade) declared that the Government still believed that preference would be injurious to Britain and the Empire. Had preference been in force, Canada would have had to consult us, and local interests would have been arrayed against British, and this might have brought the chain binding the Empire almost to snapping point. Only l£ per cent, of the British exports to Canada were affected. Seeing that America was a corn exporting country the more Canadian wheat America imported the more American would come to Britain, thereby lowering the price. QUESTION OF THE HOUR. BRITAIN'S POSITION. (Received February 10, 1 a.m.) New York, February 9. Reciprocity is declared to be the greatest political question of the hour in the United States. President Taft's statement regarding- the extra session is likely to cause the Senate to yield. i .' Ottawa, February 9. - Mr. Fielding (Minister for Finance) states that the Canadian Government view with alarm the statements in the British press that reciprocity will be detrimental £o trade between Canada and Britain. The right to arrange British preference remains unaltered, he says, and there will be no discrimination made favouring the United States."RATHER PREMATURE." MR. CHAMBERLAIN'S OPINION. (Received February 10, 12.30 a.m.) London, February 9. Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, in a letter, says that he cannot help feeling that Canada" was rather premature, and might have awaited the Imperial Conference. The ratification of the agreement would mean a radical change in the policy of Canada. Mr. Chamberlain adds, "The fight for tariff reform must be carried on with unabated vigour." THE PAPER INDUSTRY. POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS. New York, February 8. ' Congress is likely to endeavour to amend the reciprocity agreement. President Taft says that an extra . session may be necessary if the measure is not passed. Papermakers believe , that the United" States might be compelled to admit paper free before Canada made any reciprocal arrangement. Mr. Knox, the American Secretary of State, when approached by manufacturers, declared that the paper schedule was merely ' tentative. :If it was possible, he said, to make any change in the schedule without affecting the treaty, this would probably be done.