DIFFERENTIAL DUTIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10418, 22 July 1895, Page 2

DIFFERENTIAL DUTIES.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyrißht. ' London, July.2o. The Marquis of Ripon, late Secretary for the Colonies, writing to the Goveraors of Canada, Australasia.,'and the Cape, on June 28, regarding the Earl of Jersey's report, comments, and recommendations 'of the Ottavra Conference respecting differential duties between producers, the mother country, and the colonies, condemns the proposal, and considers the result would be of no benefit to the Empire, and likely to provoke foreigners *to retaliate. It x would, he thinks, have an -ifact on wages, increase direct taxation in the colonies, and h8 altogether throws cold water on the idea. As to intercolonial customs, be fears that one' colony would seek sn advantage which conld only be pained to the prejudice of other parts of the Empire. He condemns the extension of thn Customs Union to Africa, and says thatthou?h tbe Government passed the Australasian Duiies Act this year they would require the submission in future of any bill imposing-deferential duties for Crown approval. Commenting 'on-the second resolution, hs declaws tbat Belgium refuses to permit tbe repeal of article 15 of tha treaty, and Garmany refuses the repeal of article 7- as to the Zollverein. The Government dp not consider tbe advantages to ba derived from permitting the United Kingdom to eojoy preferential treatment in the British colonies sufficient to outweigh the disadvantages to the Empire of the renunciation of- the entire Belgian and Zollverein treaties. Lord Ripon adds that the demands of tbe colonies, such as those made the Caps, Canada, and New Zealand, as to neo-oHations with foreign countries, must be made through the Home Government, and all concessions by any foreign country must bs extended to the British Empire.