THE WORLD’S TRADE.

Southland Times, Issue 14437, 7 June 1910, Page 5

THE WORLD’S TRADE.

COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION Eja’lHE ASPECTS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright). LONDON, June 6. Received June 6, 9.-30 p.m. Commercial arbitration proposals, which have been approved by the Chambers of Commerce of the Empire, t i be submitted to an international congress of chambers in London during the fourth week in June. The Board of Trade through Foreign and Colonial offices has obtained replies regarding the practice in forty-seven countries. The intention is to submit them to a committee of experts with a view to summoning an International Congress, the ultimate object being the preparing of an international convention binding together all parts of the Empire and the majority of foreign nations. The Times states that the linking of the commercial world in this way will go a great distance towards counteracting the growth of armaments. Once it is applied to foreign nations such a convention must apply to the Empire and must thus tend towards Imperial federation. Much has already been accomplished in harmonizing the law in regard to salvage in cases of collisions at sea and as to shipowners’ liability. Received June 6, 10 p.m. The Times hopes that, the programme of the commercers will not exclude consideration of enforcements of the judgments of Colonial Courts. Talk about unity of Empire is strange and incongruous when one remembers that In our courts our Colonial fellow subjects are treated like Russians and Spaniards, and may be required to give security for costs before prosecuting proceedings, also that the judgments most esteemed in our colonial Courts are theoretically not entitled to greater weight than those of Bolivia and Costa Rica. Reciprocity, easy and reliable, ought to be realised at the next Imperial conference.