PREFERENCE

Southland Times, Issue 19290, 8 July 1924, Page 5

PREFERENCE

REFUSAL NOT IRREVOCABLE LORD BIRKENHEAD’S MESSAGE CANADA AND THE EMPIRE. (By Telegraph—Press Assn,—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 7. (Received July 7, 11.0 p.m.) Addressing a gathering. Lord Birkenhead, declaring that Parliament’s decision m regard to Preference did not represent the views of the people of England, said that the decision was not only irrevocable but would be revoked. “We do not,” added Lord Birkenhead, “seek to involve you in our domestic disputes, but I ask you to take back to Canada this message: That the decision regarding Imperial Preference was taken in the. teeth of our protest. There exist in Britain many men with the power of recommending their view to the British electors, who are still aware of the incomparable resources of the mighty dominions and the advantage of the Preference which you voluntarily gave many years ago, and who, on the moral side, will never forget that Canaday like Australia, in the greatest crisis in our history, ranged herself on our side with an unquenchable spirit of courage, first and foremost among the Imperial postulates. I put this: There must be absolute equality between the daughter States and the Home Country’. There is no question of dictating a policy on either side.”