A—s

396

Eleventh Day. Ii May IIMI7.

itself into a question of facilities for transport: the provision of the means for rapid and inexpensive communication between the constituent parts of the Empire. The problem that has been suggested to us by Sir Joseph Ward and Sir Wilfrid Laurier and other speakers is to reduce, as far as possible, the natural disadvantage of distance under which we sutler, the prompt and the cheap delivery of foods, perishable articles, and raw materials is a very big factor to the consumer and manufacturer, and it is these commodities wiiich are so largely produced in the Colonies and so largely required in this country. The development and acceleration erf inter-Imperial communication for business purposes would undoubtedly be a movement in which all parts of the Empire would share for their mutual benefit, it would result, not only in increased facilities for the marketing of goods and for stimulating the development of trade, but in giving important opportunities to the movement of individuals from one part of the Empire to another. By bringing the distant parts of the Empire nearer to the centre it would make the Empire more compact. All that is an essential element in trade. This is the proposal which is put before us, and it is well worthy of our best, and, I would say, of our most immediate consideration. We have had no schemes placed before us up to the present, and in a decision of such vital consequence, direct and indirect, not merely to the trade, but to the general efficiency of the Empire, the method of working is of the very essence of the scheme. I could conceive plans which with the best intentions in the world would lead to dissension, difficulty, perhaps disaster; but it ought not to be beyond the resources of British statesmanship to devise some plan which will achieve an end in itself so desirable. In my mind, it would have at least this one advantage over preferential tariff's. I believe —and in this I share the conviction of millions of my fellow-countrymen —that a preferential tariff, necessarily involving as it does a duty on corn and raw materials, wouid increase the price of products which it is necessary that our people should get at the lowest possible price. In that I gather from Mr. Deakin, he does not quite agree with me; and Dr. Jameson certainly took exception to that statement when I made it before. On the other hand, the improvement of our transport facilities would have the effect of cheapening the price of the Colonial commodities which we are so anxious to get into our markets to feed our manufacturers and our men. Now, you may ask whether I have anything definite to propose. The proposal was first made to us by Sir Joseph Ward on Tuesday last. He, I gather, is not prepared to submit any definite, settled, and thought-out scheme. He contented himself in his speech with giving a general indication of the lines upon which a discussion of this topic might usefully proceed. Would it not be well that schemes should be elaborated in detail after thinking out all the ramifications of the problem with which we are confronted ( I have during the last few days seen a good many men who are experts on such questions, and talked to them upon this subject, and whilst they have convinced me that the difficulties to be overcome are enormous, I am not satisfied that the project is a hopeless one. Once these schemes have been prepared and presented with the full responsibility of the respective Governments behind them, we might then each examine them and confer further on the question. There is one other matter to which I feel I ought to refer. It has been imputed to the Government of which I am a member that it has coldshouldered the Colonies. Mr. DEAKIN : Are you referring to a remark made by me ? Mr. LLOYD GEORGE : I think it was made by you. Mr. DEAKIN : T have already pointed out several times that the very necessary habit of newspaper compression was responsible for that expression

preferential Trade. (Mr. Lloyd Qeorgo.)