EMPIRE’S TRADE.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 933, 4 July 1903, Page 4

EMPIRE’S TRADE.

,THE CONTROVERSY CONTINUES

By .Telegraph—Press AssociationCopyright.) LONDON, July 2. Mr Asquith, in moving, at the National Liberal Federation meeting a resolution that Mr Chamberlain’s scheme would endanger relations with the colonies and threaten the ‘Empire’s stability, protested against the use of the rusty blunderbuss retaliation. He urged his countrymen to choose .weapons of precision which science had formed, which the British equally, .with Germany, were able to handle, and which truly, were arms of quick lire and long range in the modern industrial campaign. What the colonies failed to purchase from Great Britain probably consisted of commodities the Motherland was unable to supply. Preference Would create mutual jealousies, .the colonies led in taxing all raw. materials coming from England! Mr Birrell, in moving a resolution calling on the Government to declare their fiscal policy, said a Government without a fiscal policy was unfit to remain in office live minutes. the resolution was adopted. Mr'Runciman, a member of the House of Commons, in a letter to the Chairman of the North of England steamship owners, recommends them to enquire into the effect of the proposed fiscal changes on tramp shipping, representing investments of one hundred and twenty million of genuine “ unwatcrcd ” capitai, arid six-sevenths of the total British steamers. He emphasises a like increase in the cost of shipbuilding, instancing America, where a difference of thirty per cent, in the cost of steamers as compared with England, killed the American tramp shipping. OTTAWA, July, 2. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, interviewed, said Germany must initiate negotiations for a fiscal settlement. Canada would accept a reasonable agreement, though she would not move another finger since her advances had been rejected.