A—s

432

Twelfth Day. 7 May 1907.

CHAIRMAN : To make it clear, I wish to say that we do make a reservation with regard to those resolutions. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : Exactly. Mr. LLOYD GEORGE : We each state our respective positions and end up by saying : " Now let us co-operate within those limitations." Dr. JAMESON : Why not a resolution of co-operation ? Mr. DEAKIN : Is it not possible for us to take Sir Joseph Ward's suggestion as our starting point instead of our conclusion, and then adopt the language or a good deal of it here, so that it will read this way : " That " every effort should be made to bring about co-operation between the several " parts of the Empire subject to the complete liberty of action of each in " selecting the most suitable means for attaining it," That comes to the point. Every effort should be made to bring about co-operation —that is a positive proposal—between the different parts of the Empire subject to the liberty of action of each in selecting the most suitable means of attaining it. Mr. LLOYD GEORGE : The only thing Mr. Deakin leaves out is, " promoting greater freedom," and so on. Mr. DEAKIN : We have that in our first resolution of 1902. Mr. LLOYD GEORGE : But that refers to one method only. Mr. DEAKIN : Yes, that was " stimulate and facilitate." Mr. LLOYD GEORGE : That is by one method. We want other methods as well. Your opinion is that this is the best. We made it quite clear what our opinion is, and then we end up by saying, " Let us do our best " to promote commercial intercourse within the Empire, reserving to each " party perfect freedom of action as to the best means of doing it." Sir WILFRID LAURIER : I am satisfied to have the resolution as amended by Sir Joseph Ward. CHAIRMAN : We must adhere to that position. Mr. LLOYD GEORGE: I think if we can get a unanimous vote it would be all the better, because, I think, Mr. Deakin is not very far from this resolution. Mr. DEAKIN : How would this do : " That every effort should be " to stimulate and facilitate mutual commercial intercourse by co-operation " between the several parts of the Empire, subject to the liberty of action of "each in selecting the most suitable means for attaining it"? It puts the co-operation in the forefront. This other resolution opens with a general statement which does not appear to apply to anything, and then follows a particular proposal. CHAIRMAN : We-have asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can come over. In the meantime, if there is a point you wanted to speak to about your own resolutions we might take it.

Preferential Trade.