MR. FISHER'S IDEAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14854, 4 December 1911, Page 8

MR. FISHER'S IDEAL.

s ,- ~-,, AUSTRALASIAN FEDERATION. '[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] •■:•/;, ■ : STDJfEr, November '29. When Mr. Fisher, the Prime Minister, me questioned in the Federal* House of Representatives last ( week on the subject.of reciprocal trade relations . between y the, Coin*';monwealth and the- Dominion of Now. Zealand, his answer scorned to indicate that tbtf&cjjjfl : Government might conclude an arrange-*!,™* ■ meat with that Dominion prior to any oo^^M .sultation of ■■Parliament.*; The replitol *$sp||| '. by the Prime Minister to questions on the subject since show that the k stage of pM;JSF liminary inquiry has not been passed in connection, with tariff reciprocity -proposals . either to New Zealand or Canada, though the possibilities -of reciprocity ■ with * both Dominions arc engaging the attention of thafffl Minister for Customs , (Air. iudor)." . Mr. Fisher said yesterday "that since • dieft|iS <■ close of the Imperial Conference "there had been no official interchange - of ■■■ correspondence on the matter beyond ■ requests. , for information which would be ' necessary ~to- Wm the filiation of the subject by the Mini*-1 i terfoi customs. There was no likelihood of any immediate development towards the promulgation of a definite policy or sab- ' mission of proposals* to the other Dominions.■ W& When the -policy of the Government was ' complete; it * would 'be submitted : to Parli*ment. . • . ■ ,; - "■• . . ■ ; Mr. Fisher added that lu*spersonard«ri»|||| was to bring New Zealand '. into .closer' ara&M ' closer relations with ' the Commonwealth, . until ultimately the Australian Federationg||| . would rbecome Australasian, ; but J in . saying ■ this ho was not speaking' in any. way for his colleagues or his party.'. Such an, objec- , tive must be approached by gradual stage*, one of the first of ; which would be mu*&W;|(/*|| .tariff; concessions. ; Closely allied ? with the ~ question of reciprocity was that of ' arranging more frequent and faster shipping srr- ■ 'vices{to Canada, and such "special arrangements with regard to ports of call* freights, and cargo accommodation as the Governmenh would expect in return for a subsidy i would naturally bo considered in connection , with the broader aspects of tho trado rela- " , tions of the Dominions, particularly tas the .. matter of the Pacific services to Canada was already "affected'' by the existing '" tariff'"^*'wSß| between Canada and New Zealand." * ' m ,b, ; • ", ■ '■ .'■''•-\' : -- :■",:. " ■?..■.' -' ''.".". .'->i,-t: s ' ] U^:A . -;.v ' — .