Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, THURSDAY, JAN. 23, 1913. IMPERIAL TRADE RECIPROCITY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 12963, 23 January 1913, Page 4

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, THURSDAY, JAN. 23, 1913. IMPERIAL TRADE RECIPROCITY.

An. impression appears to have been created, not only in the Dominion, but in Qther parts of the Empire, that the recent much-advertised <'split"' in the ranks of the .Unionist party in the House of Commons on the subject of Tariff Reform and Imperial Preference, has resulted in the abandonment of the latter policy, and that while Mr Bomtr Law. who is ah ardent supporter of Mr ChamI berlain's policy, remains leader of the party, the Unionist programme, has been changed to meet the views -of the majority of his followers. We have taken pains to ascertain the facts of the case, and are able, to state that this impres- | sion, or rumor, is entirely false. There has been no change in the constructive policy of the Unionist party in England, which remains exactly, what it was. What has been altered is the method bv which that policy cum best be carried out. The whole Parliamentary party (with the exception of five members) recently signed a memorial to Mr Bonar Law on the subject of his declaration that, were the Unionist party returned to poAyer at the next general election, they would' call a' special 'conference of the great dominions and colonies, in order to raise in a practical form the subject of Imperial preferential trade', and that if this conference (comprised as it would be by representatives from all parts of the Empire,) was of opinion that only by taxing the import of foodstuffs, and either wholly or partially remitting that impost in the case of colonial shipments, would.- the colonial producer obtain an. advantage,. ovef«>ihe foreign prot}uc«r in themarkets; of Great Britain, .the- Unionist)/ party- wi»uld' ; be prepared to qarr.y tbafe verdict int^effect. The jnejnoi'iai. urged vthat^.botli' ff6m a party ;and.ah, .i-Imperial'; point'.- of. view, it would be wiser to eliminate 'altogether tho question of "food taxes" at ths next gqneral election, and that the proposa 1 to tax wheat, meat, and other imported foodstuffs on tihe lines of Mr /Joseph Chamberlain's original plan of campaign, should be postponed until the Unionist party were in a position (n» they would--ha if in power) to submit that question in one clear, clean issue to the electorate of tlie United Kingdom. Mr Bonnr Law acquiesced. He retains,;the: leaderv ship of the party, which • there ■' is no reason why he should resign. There hup not been, and it appears there is not likelv to be, any "split." Tariff reform, which for present purposes will be confined to taxing the im])ort of manufac-tured-'or'partly-manufactured goods, will be submitted to the country at the first opportunity. The question of Imperial preference will not. Thus, should the Unionist party n.^ain be unsuccessful at the polls, the Imperial trade question will remain undefeated after the electign ; should the party be returned to office, it will have won the opportunity it desires of seeking, in proper place and time, the verdict of the electors on the Imperial issue alone. Trade reciprocity within the Empire is- a subject which must interest, aiid would probably benefit, all classes in this Dominion. There are already forces at work which, in our opinion, must bring such a. system to fruition. At the present moment, however—to' take a broad and general view

— it appears doubtful Avhether such ai system av ill' bo, ■ first introduced by the dominions themselves/ with the Mother Country taken in, or the Mother Country left out. There is no doubt what the hope's and Avishes of the people of these islands' are, but, the political situation at Home is complicated, and speculation is futile until the air bus been cleared. But nothing, in our view, could be .more ; disastrous . to free and sound Imperial consolidation than that a A T erdict for taxing foodstuffs in Great Britain, should be snatched and counted as Avon, through and because of, let us say, the objection of the English constituencies to Home Rule. So strong does party feeling run in England, and so numerous are the important questions which are submitted to the electorate at each general election, that the decision to treat that of Imperial reciprocity as distinct and separate Avill to a large extent raise it above tlie level of c6nflicting party- reforms, and will to a far greater degree reflect the opinion of the people Avhich it Arill chiefly concern.