IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10964, 6 May 1907, Page 4

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

■♦- I (Press Assn. — By Telegraph. — Copyright.) LONDON, May 4/ j The precis of the conclusion of Sir Wm. . Ly tie's speech was only issued on Friday evening. He said that means must be j found to secure closer unity- m commerce. The younger generation had not the sanio instinctive attachment to the Mother Country as the older generation. As one who knew the guardians of the Empire's out- , posts, he warned tlie British Government that their trade was slipping away. When he left, nearly half the .shipping m Sydney, was foreign. He was confident -this question would be taken *u£^throughout •t%. length and breadth. of -the Empire, de- '•■ spite ..* Mr .Asquith's discouragement.** i'liough nrnmenta.yy,^U'i^ed,!--'%he cause' 5 vpf. reciprocity .in* /"trader -aftd ..preference* ; \vpUld certainly 7 eventually; Austta-jians,-asvkitlyand kin,' of .n./'Motli<erlari'd,.-,, resented Seated oil the sanijr'f poting as .foreigners! it .was' possibl_ , ;'in' connection /with foodstuffs to Assist the c.olo-; ni_ '^tforeignen-V/ expense, without any • cost to tlie'-BHtish consume-". ,. Perhaps it | would be possible'' to vi^i'se rfeyenue to assist old age:pei_jibpj;,;^A great 'shrinkage/ of Britishv : tnide;^wa_, inevitable, owing, to t he**- high foreign* tariff walls- Foreigners ■-. Would not -'retaliate, they .rehired bur trade jnarket. Tlie consoliaiition and the /.early /federjition of' South ''Africa. 'were*all exan>plej that the : 'Britisli Empire might ; . follow^y/>Mr ■ Asquifh'£ib^ that..'freEt_ade : ,tado_)ted 50iyeai-s ago, still, held' the field ". ■■; Sir-. William Ly lie contended t-hat. freetfade-'^^^ now',';' aiid must noti' : be accep.edf'ns *ari inherited dogn\jr;-'/ ; The Empire was' valuable, and must. be. cemented, by. ties of kinsldp and commerce. He recalled Lord Carnarvon's phrase. ! "AH'pro,duqfs..6f Nature are found within the Empiref-and the scattered units of the Empire .are capable of being'mar--vellously united m sympathy ..arid senti- ! ment." '• Australia's preference* was a modest step lbwarJ»v._tlie"goal of union: The policy of .-'blundering' through,'' 'possible m of war, would probably -.be disastrous ih commerce/-,-/ Australia-*-- 10 per cent, prefereiwe^a^*; really a larger ' advantage than what Qanada offered/ He' thought: some . special consideration might \- be extended -to Australian wine. Heempltosiged thfe importance of providing more rapid^communication witli "Australia. „ I '•> Mr-* Smart '■..■.described.-.'' Mr -/Asquith's speech 'tis a brilliant piece of special pleading.-* The old attachment for the -Mother-.- --',-• land was diminishing! m the co]o'nie_i, and ••fresh ties wieW-neededu with the Empire. would hot-' hold ' together -unlessire-., gard was paid to local conditions., and - local sehftment. , : ':•' , ,^*:^" > :* Sijr* Wilfrid Laurler said>he did not' eym-. pathise .with. Mr Deakni's support" of -.Mir. Holmeyef's proposal, fearing its adoptioih* wpuld'disl-qcate tlie. Guiadiaii tariff. •■••? ■■ Sir •Joseph fWfird' hesitated to express appro vai;-' -y^r A \ , .-■"-. ;-.- /■' -,«*,-■>'■;* j '^lie^-Wesitminster Gazette is glad; /Mr. Asquitli'-db-S not take the view expressed . by. /Slessrs Cok, and, Wedgwood, members .of the House ,;of Commons*, thatit^e-im-perial;. Government's participatipnfin 'such* 1 schemes __' outlined by Sir Joseph -Ward in'th-a direclioh of improVed communica-tions-and reduction of Suez Qanal dues, j etc., would be worse than preference. To jveto such participation would be fatal to 'a large part of- our work as path-finders I and road-maker_. m new countries. The | principle" -of freetfade- seeks the utmost ; freedom and facility of trade, and can be ■applied by making channels ,of trade -j where private enterprise for the. moment ; does .no--6U-fi.ee.' 'j 'Mr Balfour, speaking before ' the PrimI rdse League at the Albert Hall, asked who on reading Mr. Asquith's .Budget speech, could say that the fkcal system was, sat- • isfactory. '"Who, after hearing the colonial ' .Premiers, could say that the feelings of the colonies were a mere transitory emotion. Tlie only remedy for -lessening the fiscal burden for Imperial defence and carrying social reform was an extension of the basis of taxation. The existing duties on articles of large consumption were, from an ad valorem, standpoint, preposterous m magnitude. What Ava_ want'-. ; ed was small duties on articles of large' j consumption, which would thus yield a, I large revenue without serious dislocation of trade or laying a serious burden on the consumer. When adopted the _yst*em- ' should meet tlie desires of every dependency, strengthen tlie bonds of Empire and •bring the component parts together on a commerical basis. He had no doubt that a policy of preference would •ultimately be 'adopted m- Bi 'tain, but when adopted it I would be, less advantageous* tlian ii -the '■Government had not turned a deaf ear to ' the colonial Premiers' proposals.*" Banging the door m the faces of the colonies:: -.was a most foolish form of Imperial st&tesinanship. The whole spirit , of the Go-, .• vernmentand their; action m every part, /if not inconsistent to the maintenance of the Empire, mustdrain its vital force and . strength. ,_ ! The Daily Chroncile asserts tliat Mr Balfour's alteration of food taxes is a gigantic scheme, relieving the direct taxpayer at the cost of the poorer membersof the community. i. The Times makes a strong onslaught on Britain's fiscal system, which is the crudest knpwn among civilised men, namely, a shilling income tax. It was absurd to have imports exceeding the value of the things taxed, the taxes being upon a '•erj small number of articles. The Standard says: Tlie Government, by refusing tp entertain reciprocal prefer:ence,; lias-given Mr Balfour the greatest "opportunity of his life. He lias lost no ; time m assuring the country that he is . determined to utilise it to the utmost. The Telegraph says the speech" may prove the- turning point of the fortunes of the parties.' Henceforth those desiring" closer association between the sister nations and the Motherland must vote for the Uniouists. and those hostile or indifferent tdj tlie maintenance of the Empire must vote, for the Radicals. Tlie Westminster Gazette says Mr Balfour's small taxes, which n© one will feel; are chimerical, and will lead into the: mora---s of Protection. **— ***** — — — — .