AFTER THE WAR.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14149, 11 April 1916, Page 6

AFTER THE WAR.

SHALL WE TRADE WITH

GERMANY?

Though the number present wony lew an interesting discussion took place at the Chamber of Commerce annual meeting last night regarding after-war trade with Germany.

The president (Mr. C. R. Fell) mentioned the matter of after-war trade with Germany, and asked whether the meeting wished to discuss the question.

Mr F. W. Hamilton was of opinion tliat it was premature to. discuss the question at present. The president suggested that as it was likely the Prime Minister would 'bo going to England it was worth while for"the various business communities to discuss tho miatter, and as a repnlt +hn bands of the representatives of the Dominions would.be strengthened. I'ersonally, ho thought it worth, while, and he approached the question witu the knowledge that some jmcrinoeG must be made, but they should be made to prevent a recurrence of past methods of" undermining British trade. Mr Cock said ihat the whole- matter was so great and so serious that he would be very loth to enter upon a discussion, but it seemed to him that the statesmen engaged would have to be guided largely by military and naval considerations, and ho felt that military precautions would be taken which would ensure a peace that would endure for ,a long period. Personally, before the war he had favoured cosmopolitanism and free trade as tending to ensure peace, but the disclosures of the present conflict Lad modified his rievvs, and he was now strongly of opinion that the cultivation of inter-Imperial trade was the great need. An enormous trade could be developed within the Empire, which would make us largely independent of trade with the enemy Powers. It had to be recognised that those Powers comprised about two hundred millions, or about one-fourth of those with whom we hiad been able- to trade- before the war, and it was a big thing to consider stopping all trade with so great a number. Germany had beer-, so treacherous and so much had abused tho hospitality and advantages we had enabled her to enjoy that the feeling of lancour would automatically, as it were, destroy her trade with the Empire for many years to come, but he relied n>ore upon the inter-Imperial trade and the military restrictions, followed peihaps by indemnities, to restrict tho power of Germany to do as sho had done in the past. Mr Neale .said that he was convinced that, tho whole matter mvst bo decided at the centre of the Empire; still ho was of opinion that' by free discussion the hands of the representatives of the Dominion could be istrengthe-ned. to a very groat.; extent. Jt would be a groat filing if!'the statesmen of Britain urtild be assured that the dependencies were prepared to pay through the means of a high tarilf wall tc secure tho exclusion of enemy trad-o from thenDominions.

Mr liampson declared himself very strongly i;i favour of inter-} mperial !.rado' protection. For ?ns.ny year* ho bad noimod out th:?t ih,- orx-'i-uigHs on British trade must bo combated by an ii)H)^"i-il < .ustoin:; i,'}ii'.-.!;, or ll\i:.t> it vuii'd be brotif.'.ht :.■.:■>:>iih by i-xlr'.* -ico-us cueutnstaiM-es >\hicii had vul'nrk;;ui:ely hsH'n 1;!"!f wh* v.i i his ww. ;:<> sfcroi;^ly iKh-wat-ed that tho "Motl;eda:vJ siiouJd in* shown plainly thiit thy. depeniiencii:-. were ijrep.--.rcd to make sjacri-i-iccs jdr tvk-> T.mjj'-rial ido;i.

:\i"i- I<\ (I. Gibbs, in a speech which we have no!;, unfortunately, space to deal fully with, traversed the situation ;jjid t!ic uiff'riißios which were present- •»<] In him. On <;oivt.ime:it«l grounds he fully granted thy ueeo^iity <;-f showing Gpr'mrnTl" Uie F.mp'iv'K -ense of her wrongdoings by punishment, but considering the question from a lya-oti :•.•<,-) ami scientific .standpoint ho referred, and quoted authorities in support, t<> the dangers which would a-rlso that in tho endeavour to inflict pxinishrnent o-i: tho enemy the reverse would foe brought about, to the 'advantage of tho enemy and the disadvantage of the Empire. It was 'doubtful, he said, that Germany, who had embarked upon this war as tho victor in sovoiul previous short and decisive wars, would | support tho imlitarism which had brought benefit in the ]>ast but disaster at this time. That was one factor to be considered. Tho most important to his mind, however, wims thai of Iniporial organisation. To "build up tho Vritish Fiii'pire as an Empire in verity, «.nd not, to 'quote Adam Smith, an Empire in project, required a seiontifio and praetifia'l basis of procedure. He was inclined to an imperial free trade, not launched at once, but brought 'aboutgradually by preferential tariffs being first arranged, and gradually being obliterated. 'To do such work on rxue-ntir lie lines it would lx> necessary to take it leaf from the book of tho Germans, and ho fuiTCostod that it would bo the most helpful thing for New Zealand's | representative* ifn Royal Commission I were pet up- to oht;ii!) ini't.'vmrttwK. r-s U--jk-ow New Zealand would lu> affected by i cessation of trade v.ith Germany.- and I what stops f.-. 1.1 Id be taken to counter-; rwt any ■disn.dv.Mrui^t1' that might be., discovered. ; It was finally decided that %V"> noun-' I oil of the Chjunbor. 'ha asked to keep the subject of the diw-ussion in'" view, and to call a general meeting when | considered advisable.