273

A.—s

an outcome of this Conference and of our preliminary discussions, in the desire to help trade development between the old land and the newer lands, I hope we may see some effort made to place us side by side with our great competitors in the matter of obtaining information and disseminating knowledge. Mr. ASQUITH : Do you know that steps have already been taken for that purpose ? Sir JOSEPH WARD : I was not aware of that. Mr. ASQUITH : The Board of Trade have appointed trade correspondents—five in South Africa and six in Australia, Sir WILLIAM LYNE : None of them fitted to be appointed. Mr. ASQUITH : That is another matter. There is a difference of opinion about that. Whatever may be said about the personnel the office is brought into existence. Mr. LLOYD GEORGE : About Australia, if I may say so, I have been in consultation with Mr. Deakin as to the personnel. You must not assume that the thing is settled here; we are conferring with Mr. Deakin on the point. May I say also that, with regard to Canada, the name of the gentleman sent over was suggested to us by Lord Strathcona because he knew him well. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : He could not be a better one. Mr. ASQUITH : At any rate an attempt is being made to deal with this very important matter. Sir JOSEPH WARD : I am very glad to hear that is so, and I congratulate Mr. Llloyd George upon the initial step which has been taken. I have not had the opportunity of being consulted as to New Zealand, but if I may, with some experience of what is necessary, I should like to suggest that a trade correspondent is not sufficient. It would be quite inadequate in my judgment in New Zealand. One's practical knowledge of it may be of some use in extending what 1 recognise is a very valuable thing which has already been commenced. I would point out that the configuration of our country is such that unless a trade correspondent was able to split himself up into a dozen parts he would be bound to be located at different times if not regularly in one centre. He may move from that from time to time, but that is of little use to the man who goes, say, from England—as many of them do—for the purpose of obtaining information, and comes to a particular town and wants to find out, generally speaking, promptly, the local peculiarities of the trade there, or obtain information on questions on the spot peculiar to that particular place. I merely re-affirm the necessity of having a representative in every large town, and I am sure it can be done very inexpensively if what I understand Mr! Lloyd George has so well begun were extended so that we had in the same manner as other countries a representative in every important town If

36—A. 5.

.Ninth Day. 1 May 1!MI7.

Preferential Trade. (Sir Joseph Ward.)