UNIONISTS FISCAL POLICY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12857, 18 December 1912, Page 5

UNIONISTS FISCAL POLICY.

IMPORTANT SPEECH BY MRJ

BONAR LAW

(United Press Association. —Copyright.)

Received 9-25 p.m., December IV

LONDON, December 17

Mr. Bonar Law, speaking at Ashton-under-Lyne, said the greatest problem the State was faced 'with was how to obtain a fairer method of distributing industrial wealth. Ho believed the remedy would be found in co-operation, assisted by a. fair fiscal system. If the Unionists were entrusted with power they did not intend to impose food taxes without first convening a. Colonial Conference-to consider the whole question of preferential trade. The question of food duties would only arise after the deliberations of the Conference. That was why they objected to submit their proposals to a referendum. In dealing -wfth food duties an essential condition should ;be that the burdens of the poorer classes should not be increased. The ideal policy was free trade within the Empire. It was impossibleto get it now with the Colonies, but <i thorough system of preference would tend ultimately to end in that direction. They could have free trade with Indjia "to-mor.fow1- Ind^'a feared not the competition of Britain, but of Japan. The whole experience of the civilised world was hostile to the British fiscal system. Our Colonies had abandoned it, and no serious politician in <any loaun'Jryj >pi*j)ptos«l3( to Vetturn thereto. He said the Unionists did not intend to evolve a "protective policy to foster unnatural industries, but would impose duties lower than in any industrial country in order to discourage the building up, of monopolies. They merely intendjed- to Secure for their own workmen preference in their own market, also to secure the largest preference possible in the overseas markets. . The. Unionist party promised to clearly define the proposed duties before the general election. Hje hoped it would be unnecessary- to impose more than a duty on wheat. If after a conference with the Colonies, duties wer,e regarded as unnecessary, they would ,never impose them. Mr. Austen Chamberlain, in a speech at Carlisle, said that any suggestion of the' postponement of Tariff Reform would split the Unionist party from top to bottom, and shake public confidence in thejr honesty and good faith.