A.—s

292

questions, having got to that condition, I say it will do good, inasmuch as it will bring before us all the chance of moving in the direction we hope for, or of England being able to prove to her Colonies that they are asking for an impossible concession. The movement has grown, and, I believe, is growing. Certainly with us it has grown in South Africa, and we to-day are giving preference to you here. There is a large section of our people who are still more or less not heartily with us, but I believe the majority are strongly in favour of continuing a preference to the Motherland without price or without terms. We also have given reciprocity to our sister States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and I think South Africa to-day is really in the forefront of the movement. * CHAIRMAN : It is obvious that we cannot finish this discussion to-day, and as we have reached the hour of adjournment I suppose it would be convenient now to adjourn. May I make one observation I I thought we had two more days this week, but I find that some members of the Conference have engagements on Saturday, and therefore to-morrow is our only day. I think it is very desirable that we should finish this subject now before the Conference this week, if it is at all possible to do so, ami I suggest that we might meet, therefore, at half-past ten to-morrow morning, and perhaps it might even be possible to have in reserve a sitting in the afternoon, if Mr. Lloyd George could manage to attend. Mr. LLOYD GEORGE : Yes, I could be here. Does Mr. Deakin propose opening on the question of treaties, or does he propose to leave it for separate treatment ? Mr. DEAKIN : It was suggested at the beginning that we should leave that for separate treatment. It is an independent question. CHAIRMAN : Yes, it is. Mr. LLOYD GEORGE : I quite agree. Mr. F. R. MOOR : I have one more word, and that is, that as regards these freights on steamers with respect to goods and other commodities, my argument would be just as strong in the direction of passenger fares. Here, by mutual work and mutual assistance, I think we can do a vast amount of good, not only to you but to the Colonies, by so adjusting these passenger fares as to direct the emigration from these islands to the various Colonies under the flag. It should be as easy, though not quite so cheap, certainly, to convey people from these shores to these different possessions as for people to go from one end of England to the other. This can be done only by the co-operation of the Colonial Governments, together with the Imperial Government, in connection with the shipping that plays such an important part in all our interests. Ido hope that this question will not be lost sight of when your secretariat is established, so that they may take the matter up and focus it before public opinion. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : I do not understand exactly what is meant by different treatment with regard to the question of treaties, which seems to be absolutely germane to this question.

Ninth Day. 1 May 1907.

Preferential Trade. (Mr. F. R. Moor.)