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was no difference of opinion between us. With regard No. 4, Australia moved something else which Australia has now withdrawn. CHAIRMAN : Then I made my remarks based upon the remarks you made on the first three. It does not seem to me to make much difference, but the inclusion on your behalf of the whole four is subject to the same reservation which I read on behalf of His Majesty's Government: " His " Majesty's Government cannot give its assent so far as the United Kingdom "is concerned to a re-affirmation of the resolutions of 1902, in so far as they " imply that it is necessary or expedient to alter the Fiscal system of the " United Kingdom." Of course No. 4 comes from you all as Prime Ministers of the Colonies. We do not make any representation, and you are quite at liberty to make that representation, but we make this affirmation at the end. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : Certainly, we cannot take exception to that. You state your position and we state our position. It is carried with this understanding. CHAIRMAN : Does any one wish it to be put ? Is that carried ? Sir WILFRID LAURIER : It is carried. CHAIRMAN : Now, with regard to the resolution which I now submit. Mr. DEAKIN : My second resolution is : " That it is desirable that " the United Kingdom grant preferential treatment to the products and " manufactures of the Colonies." That comes in because we are adopting down to No. 4 which does not include that. What I move now is : " That "it is desirable that the preferential treatment accorded by the Colonies to " the products and manufactures of the United Kingdom be also granted to " the products and manufactures of other self-governing Colonies." Sir WILFRID LAURIER : In principle I am ready to dispose of that, but I am willing to modify the language. Mr. DEAKIN : What do you propose?. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : I am not prepared to draft it to-day, but it would be that we should have reciprocity. If a Colony does not give any preferential treatment to the Mother Country, the resolution would not apply perhaps. Mr. DEAKIN : This was not intended to prevent that, it was only a general affirmation of a desirable thing. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : I think I agree with you, but I would like it to stand for a day. The principle suits me altogether, I may say. • CHAIRMAN : There is some confusion I think. We must put this resolution : " That this Conference recognising the importance of attaining " greater freedom and fuller development of commercial intercourse within " the Empire, believes that these objects may best be secured by leaving it "to each part of the Empire, liberty of action in selecting the most suitable " means for attaining them, having regard to its own special conditions and " requirements."

Twelfth Day. 7 May 1907.

Preferential Trade. (Sir Wilfrid Laurier.) .

Resolution VI., p. vii.

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