PREFERENTIAL TRADE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2121, 2 July 1907, Page 2

PREFERENTIAL TRADE.

A STRONG MANIFESTO. United Press Association—Copyrigh " Received July 1, 10.23 p.m. LONDON, July 1. Twenty-two members of the Commons belonging to the Trade . Unior group have issued a manifesto head od “Colonial Conference and Prefer ential Trade,” declaring that it is time that the British working man protested against the absurdities of some of the Colonial Premiers. New Zealand’s white population only equalled the Birmingham district, and Australia’s half London. This cannot be given unless we alter our whole fiscal system and tax all foreign'imports. Even a liberal estimate of the'value of colonial preference is unable to show that the increase on the present trade with the colonies will be beyond 10 to 15 per cent., affecting about a quarter of 1 per cent, of the total British trade. In return for this magnificent result on the security of i per cent, and fewer unemployed, the cost of every necessary article consumed by the British workman will be increased.' The manifesto ridicules the proposition that a small rise in the price of wheat will not affect the price of bread, and quotes approvingly Professor Marshall’s declaration that Freetrade was never more essential to Britain’s prosperity than now. The manifesto sneeringly remarks: “It is needless to say that one of the chief objects of the Premiers is the welfare of the British workman. Their anxiety is only equalled by that of the tariff-reforming capitalist at Home, who never speaks and never thinks of his share of the plunder, testing the disinterestedness of the colonies by a concrete instance.” The manifesto refers to Mr. Deakin’s ingenious proposal to raise a common fund for Imperial, but chiefly colonial purposes to which Britain would subsidise 4} millions and the colonies a few hundred thousands. The manifesto states that British workmen do not think they are called upon to contribute to fjie maintenance of the children beyond the sea to this tune, nor are they to be entrapped by those who exploit Imperial sentiment in the interest of Tariff Reform at their expense.