COLONIAL PREFERENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12911, 28 February 1906, Page 7

COLONIAL PREFERENCE.

A VOICE FROM CANADA. Mr Joseph Martin, previously a member of the Legislature of Manitoba, nnd of the I>«mi«ion Parliament from 1893 to 1897. Mibssqvently rremier.of British Columbia, in a criticism of Mr Chamberlain's preferential proposals, savs : Mr Chamberlain suggests the imposition

of a small duty ■upon wheat, say, 3s per quarter, and urges the working men to support his proposal by assuring them that in return the colonies would give such concessions to British manufacturers as would result in a muqh.greater demand for labogr. He also suggests that probably the' imposition of this duty would not raise the price of wheat. It must, it seems to me, be quite clear that unless the price of wheat is raised at Liverpool by the proposed duty, there ■would be no benefit whatever to the Canadian farmer. Canadian grain always has a market; the farmer can always sell his wheat just as soon as it is ready for market, and as a matter of fact, frequently sells it before it is cut. There is, therefore, no lack of market, and the only possible advantage would be an increased price.

To deal now with the first suggestion, let me ask what possible justification has Mr Chamberlain in suggesting, at any rate so far as Canada is concerned, that a preference on wheat given by tne Old Country would result in a preference given by Canada on British manufactures?

The manufacturers of Canada have a strong and exceedingly well organised association for the advancement of their interests, known as the Canadian Manufacturers' Association. The association at present is engaged in a crusade for higher protective . duties in Canada. The present Canadian tariff is a high protective tariff, but the manufacturers are not satisfied, and are pushing strongly for a heavy increase.

The said association, in case it should accomplish its policy of raising the Canadian tariff to such a point that it will fully and completely protect the manufacturers of Canada oy excluding as far as possible all foreign manufactured goods, including British goods, is willing that a still.higher tariff should be enforced against the United Stares and other foreign manufacturers, but not against British manufacturers.

What possible advantage this kind of a preference would be to tHes British manufacturer is difficult to comprehend. I have no knowledge of the condition of affairs in other colonies, but it is quite clear from the attitude taken bv the Canadian Manufacturers' Association, not only in their organ "Industrial Canada." but also in speeches made by "prominent members • at public meetings in Canada and by Members of the House of Commons representing their views, that so far as thev are concerned they will never consent to any reduction whatever in the present Canadian tariff against British goods, but will- use all their power and influence in increasing the same until the prohibitive point is reached.

In 1897, the present Liberal Government passed an Act giving a preference of a reduction of one-fourth, of the duty on British goods. This Bill was vigorously opposed by the Conservative Opposition m the House, and also by the Manufacturers' Association, and -ever since then the Manufacturers' Association have endeavoured by every means in their power to have the same abolished, and have succeeded in having it verv considerably modified. :