TRADE COMMISSION.

West Coast Times, 27 June 1912, Page 3

TRADE COMMISSION.

OUR CABLED ITEMS

PREFERENCE TARIFF QUESTION

CHAIRMAN RULES OUT OF ORDER,

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COP ARIGHT

LONDON, Juno 26,

Mr. Donald Campbell, Commonwealth representative on the Imperial Tiade Commission interviewed, said he had endeavoured to induce Imperial Commission to take evidence and make recommendations concerning in* tei-Dominion reciprocal customs treaties.

TJio chairman (Lord Inchcape) ruled adversely.. Mr, Campbell said that th’s practically excludes all forms of preference, including tariff and subsidies to shipping and will reduce the s"ope of the Commission’s usefulness. Ho question the justification for expenditure upon tlie Commission.

[Tho personnel., of the Imuo-iai Trade Commission, which consists of six members from tho United Kingdom, and one from the five Dominions, is as follows; Tho United Kingdom. Lord Inchcape, Director of Suez Gacal Company, and of the Australian United and British India Steam Navigation Companies (chairman). Sir Edgar Vincent, former M.P., for Exeter; Financial Adviser to the Egyptian Government, |IBB3-89. Sir Charles John Owens, late General Manager of the London and South Western Railway. Sir Henry Rider Haggard, tho wellknown writer and authority on Britifcji Agriculture. Mr. Tom Garnett (Manchester) member of tho firm of Thomas Garnet and Sous, cotton spinors, LowMoor, Olithcvoe. Mr. William Lorimcr (Glugav,) chairman of the North British Locomotive Company, Ltd. Tho Dominions. Canada.—Tho Hon. Goroge E. Foster, Minister of Trade and Customs. Australia.—Mr. Donald Campbell, foimerly member of the Legislature of South Australia. South Africa.—Sir Richard Solomon, High Commissioner of South Africa. Now Zealand.—The Hon. John Robert Sinclair, member of tho Now Zealand Legislative Council. Newfoundland.—The Hon. Edgar Bcwring, member of the Legislative Council.

Mr. W. A. Robinson, of the Colonial Office, is Secretary to tho Commission.

Tho Commissioners will confine themselves to the resources of tho United Kingdom and the Self-Govern-ing Dominions, and they may suggest ’by what methods consistent always with tho existing fiscal policy of each part of tho Empire, the trade of each part with the others may be improved •and extended.”

Tho inaugural sittings of tho Commission will bo held in the United Kingdom, and commenced on June 13th. Tho Commissioners expect to anive in Australia;—the first of the oversea Dominions to bo visit.'J—in February next,]