The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1914. EMPIRE TRADE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 36, 12 February 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1914. EMPIRE TRADE.

Che Honorable Thomas Mackenzie tolds the view that the tariff preferMices granted by t!ie Overseas Doninionson British goods are in some iistances nullified by the slipping subsidies which foreign Governments 'rant to Britain’s trade competitors. This was what New Zealand’s High Commissioner told a meeting of the Vnglo-Saxon Club, but the Wellington ‘Post” considers he did not point ont the worst feature of the shipping quesion: the differential freights levied igainst Britain, not by foreign, but by Iritish shipping companies. The ‘Post” continues: When the l)o----ainions Royal Commission was in Dundin it heard some remarkable evilonce on this subject. One merchant ■nstanced an importation of bottles, | .omo of which came from London and ;ome from Hamburg, but the bottles vere all of the same kind and came n the same steamer. Yet the freight 'on the London bottles was 90s per ton,' in the Hamburg article 23s (id. An-! it her witness also quoted a case of London and Hamburg goods arriving iy the same ship, and said the freight Tom Hamburg was 29s Cd per ton neasuroment, while the freight from! London was 37s 6d. This, he added, ,v,as not an exceptional instance; it was a current practice. The object if the low rates, he suggested, was to

Keep out German steamer competi:ion ; hut it it keeps German ships out )f that particular running, it certainly 'ielps to put German goods into the Vew Zealaml market, despite the preference extended to British-made, Gernany now sends, according to the evilonce, a large quantity of goods that .vould come from British firms if there was no difference in freights. This complaint is, in the judgment of the Dominions Boval Commissioners, well founded. Their verdict is that “there I -xists freight discrimination v against ! British slippers, whereby certain Hlitis 1 1 shipowners transport goods from the Continent to New Zealand at lower rates than from British ports to Now, Zealand. This is thoroughly nnsatis-j factory, and runs directly counter to the patriotic and Imperial intentions of j the New Zealand Legislature and acts I detrimentally to British trade.” Fur-j Idler, the Gonimssion found that “no; adequate defence for such action could . he made, though repented opportunities were given for explanation.”