IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13311, 13 June 1907, Page 5

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

REVIEW BY SIR J. G. WARD. Press Association-By Telegraph-Copyright PERTH, June 12. • Sir Joseph Ward in an interview on the proceedings at .'the Imperial Conference says_: that-.it is undeniable that there is a a great want of knowledge concerning the position of the self-governing dominions, and tlie, development-that,is. talcing placein them, "I must say,", he. added, ''that Canada, to-some extent, should be excepted, for the reason that- she has 'made advertising an art. . She advertises herself wherever her represntatives . are to be found, and makes a display of what Canada, lias to offer in the way of land attractions and employment for, workers, in a manner in which is extremely successful. For instance, I visited-Dublin Exhibition, where Canada had a separate court, which was filled up in such a way that visitors ■had before- them a realistic presentation of :wheatfields and dairying land, with tattle grazing on .-'the farm. As the outcome of Canada's pushfulness I saw three or-; four steamers loaded with human freight leave England and Scotland, for Canada. The domibion is better Jjnown in England than any other of the self-governing colonies. Its comparative nearness to England is also a factor in keeping- it .before the eyes of British people. Although, I must in justice to dui" representatives, say that they spare no x paihs- to'keep their countries before the : public, yet our expenditure hi advertising is very small compared with that of Canada.. : . '■'. Th'fe: British.people fear .that preference will raise the" price of commodities to the consumeer, but l in my opinion: the rivalry between the colonies for the. Home market, would keep—prices: at a fair,nievel.' One •difficultj 'in the. way of preference is. the belief that Canada," and NewZealand could not supply.,STsficient, wheat to-take" the "place of .that at,,pref"ent. imported into Great Britain from. Russia, America and other countijes-,' but I beaud Australia alone could in i a short time, if they had the certainty of a- market, more than However, under the circumstances, it was impossible to carry preference proposals at the recent conference, but we can hope for better things from the'.next,;..,, ... vv .'.. .. , .•" With reference to the mail -subsidy I ■advocated an improved and Pacific service across : Canada. Zealand and Australia. My own view was that we should aim at a twenty days' service- between New Zealand-and London-I—four 1 —four days across the Atlantic, four days across ■Canada, and twelve days across the. Pacific to New Zealand. It is quite, a common tiling for a steamer to travel between London and America, at 21 or .22 knots. I hold that the same speed could be maintained .between Vancouver and New Zealand and Australia, provided the countries concerned are prepared to pay a- subsidy large enough to- induce owners of the class of steanier mentioned to take, up the trade. It -.would necessitate a subsidy of about £400,000 a year. Althousrh this is a large sum, it could be borne, if divided proportionately between the countries concerned." Asked whether such a service would not interfere, with the Suez Canal -service, Sir Joseph Ward replied: "My opinion is that it would not. The service I advocate would cause-■an'increase* of traffic. Where;, ever great steamer facilities for, passenger traffic have been provided they have resulted in such an enormous .increase of trade that instead of injuring the existing lines, they liave; caused, the establishment of ad-; ditional lines to cope with the This has been the experience; in the Atlantic, where, of course, there is a large population at the end of the line. We in Australia, must look forward to a large increase in population in years to come*, and by -establishing ' the most up-to-date passenger service we would be doing nvich to attract immigrants to our shores. So far as New Zealand is concerned, we will leave nothing undone to establish such a -service. At both the Imperial'and the Navigation Conferences I advocated a reduction in the Suez I'Oaoal-'dues'.- The present high rates are handicapping the development of colonial trade, causing the bulk of the iinioorts and exports to b- caried round the Cape. It .seems to -me," continued- Sir Joseph, "monstrous-that.'the: rates should be, so high that ordjnavy cargo; steamers are almost prohibited from wing the canal. It is possible, in view of tie speeches made* by the Australian representatives, that some alteration will be made in the near future." -■..-...■■• -"'-.'.•■. ,v .'i, ■-.-'■'"