A—s

262

between the same parties, and even more greatly between them and other parties. The customs tariff which we shall submit will be framed on the same principal I have been enunciating here. Our first consideration will be that of the circumstances of Australia and its demands. The next will be the possibility of giving a preference and therefore entering into closer commercial relations with the Mother Country and our Sister Dominions. The third will be how far and in what degree it shall apply to foreign countries wdio single us out for special disabilities. The larger trade exchange with the Mother Country towards which we look, ample in its proportions and immense in its possibilities, will be constantly before us, but the extent to which we can approach a complete mutual exchange will, of course, be governed by the attitude which is adopted here towards our proposals. I think 1 can fairly say that any encouragement we may receive will be met, not in a spirit of barter but with a desire to prove our appreciation of it and of our family relations. Mr. ASQUITH : The arrangement with New Zealand did not go through '. Mr. DEAKIN : It did not. Mr. ASQUITH : What caused it not to go through ? Mr. DEAKIN . Because it was laid aside in the New Zealand Parliament. Mr. ASQUITH : They would not have it .' Mr. DEAKIN: No. You will remember the circumstances which in part account for that. The treaty was made by Mr. Seddon during the absence of the present Prime Minister of New Zealand in the Mother Country. Mr. Seddon's death unfortunately followed a few days after the final signing of that treaty. Consequently when Sir Joseph Ward returned and re-formed his administration, he re-formed his policy, for reasons of which he is the best judge and of which we do not complain, deciding that in the interests of New Zealand the treaty should not be given effect to. Mr. ASQU 111 I : And the Legislature took his view ? Mr. DEAKIN : The Legislature took his view, and that treaty was not adopted. But the probabilities of some substituted arrangements arc, I may say, present to my friend, Sir Joseph Ward, as they are to myself, and are among the measures now in contemplation. I may also say that, vexatious as the loss of that treaty was, and vexatious, if not more vexatious, as was the clipped condition in which our Bill passed—whether it be owing to our youth fulness or our inexperience —we take these reverses without great discouragement. We believe that a current of public opinion is setting in the direction of reciprocity, and that as we proceed it will take the same course more strongly. lam confident that it will be quite possible to make another treaty with New Zealand, which, however modest its proportions may be, if they are not quite on the scale that Mr. Seddon and myself

Ninth Day. I May l!HI7

PIiEKERK.STI v Trade. (Mr. Deakin.)