Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Third of a Century.] TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1909. CANADA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9699, 2 November 1909, Page 4

Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Third of a Century.] TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1909. CANADA.

Without doubt, Canada is a laud of limitless possibilities in the way of development, as well in commercial as in colonisation expansion. The four millions of population of a generation ago have to-day increased to seven millions. The villages and trading outposts of the West of a few years ago, to-day are great cities. The rapid growth has been something astonishing —something that the whole world has marvelled at. It may come as a surprise to many of our readers to learn that Canadian trade, during the past decade, has increased more rapidiy than that of any other land on earth, with the exception of the Argentine. The mineral resources promise to develop phenomenal wealth, of which the silver mines of Cobalt are only one instance. The discoveries of vast and valuable mineral deposits are only in their initiatory stages, and Canada promises to become in the near future, the richest, the most prosperous, and the most powerful portion of tiie Empire. Aud yet, this notwithstanding, Britain's commercial relations with Canada are rapidly on the down grade. Withiu a generation the Home country has allowed the import trade of Canada, practically, to slip from her grasp. There is no gainsaying this deplorable state of affairs, as the appended facts aud figures will amply demonstrate. Thirty years ago Britain held the greater part of the Canadian import trade. Then thirty-five per cent, of the Canadian imports came from Britaiu. To-day, notwithstanding the preference given to British goods, and the tariff that presses so heavily on German manufactures when sent to Canada (German goods having to pay twice as much duty as British), British imports to Canada have fallen to twenty-six per cent, (though the Canadian population has nearly doubled in the interim), while American manufacturers supply sixty per cent. Nor is this all. Within the last few years, enormous manufacturing industries have sprung up in Canada itself. These huge undertakings in Canada are mainly in American hands, are fiuanced by American capital, and are directed and controlled by American managers. Some of the American brauch factories, recently established in Canada, employ close on two thousand men each. One of the American houses alone numbers more employes than the whole of the British put together. Here is one remarkable and highly significant fact, the accuracy of which is vouched for beyond the slightest shadow of doubt: for every British commercial traveller who enters the Dominion, at least a thousand come from the United States! American capital is buying up leading commercial houses in all lines, retaining the old names, but running them as branches of big American organisations. French dry goods emporiums are also being largely represented by their emissaries, who tour tho Dominion from the Atantic to tho Pacific, and are securing a remunerative share of the business that is being done. Before very long it ,

is not improbable that the sur-tax handicap on German importations may be removed, and then will be Germany's opportunity—an opportunity of which it may be taken for granted that nation will take the fullest advantage. Even with this double duty, as compared with British importations, last year German imports to Canada increased by about thirty per cent. ; and Germany has also estabished a special organisation with the object of cultivating American trade, which is bound to result in a large and immediate accession of trade with the Dominion. Both laud and sea communication in Canada are developing at a rate that is difficult of realisation, and another, decade must see Canada advancing by still more astonishing leaps and bounds. Vast areas of Canadian territory which were, at one time, thought to be the home of perpetual winter, are now proving to be the very finest wheatgrowing lauds on the face of the globe. And yet, witii all this vast development, English import trade is rapidly on the decline, and, so far as commerce is concerned, every indication seems to demonstrate that Britain is largely out of the running. Recently the Goveruor-General of Canada, being desirous of helping to promote closer trade relations between Great Britain and Canada, announced that tlie Directors of the Canadian National Exhibition would grant free space iv their forthcoming display to a limited number of British manufacturers. What was tlie result? But oue solitary British firm accepted in time! Other British houses had fully intended to be represented, but by the time they ban made inquiries, aud arrived at a definite decision, all the available space had been allotted to the host of olamouriug American and Canadian applicants. Naed we say more". The demonstration is obvious—viz., that Britain has lost her commercial prestige iv Canada, through her own lethargy; and it is gravely to be apprehemiod that she will never regain the position which once was hers, aud which, by the display of adequate energy aud enterprise, she should have beeu in a position, without much difficulty, to retain—if not, indeed, to secure its still more lucrative and extensive ramifications.