437

A.—s

and from our point of view, as we have given great consideration to this, we think the affirmation of freedom should come first and the other next. CHAIRMAN : This is the resolution which His Majesty's Government puts before the Conference: " That this Conference, recognising the " importance of promoting greater freedom and fuller development of "commercial intercourse within the Empire, believes that these objects may " be best secured by leaving 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, and that every effort should be " made to bring about co-operation in matters of mutual interest." Dr. SMARTT : Might 1 ask you as Chairman, whether the Conference, having affirmed resolution No. 1, which states, '* That this Conference, recog- " nising that the principle of preferential trade between the United Kingdom " and His Majesty's Dominions beyond the Seas, will stimulate and facilitate " mutual commercial intercourse," it is competent for this Conference to propose a resolution which does not affirm this resolution ( CHAIRMAN : I specially said we did not agree to that. Dr. SMARTT : I thoroughly understand that, and you have registered your vote as President of this Conference, and a very important vote, as not agreeing with it. Notwithstanding that, the Conference has maintained the principle laid down in the first resolution, and I wish to say that this resolution following the other would mean that the Conference had departed from its position that the best way of developing this mutual co-operation would be by preference. CHAIRMAN : If you ask me as President, I do not think it is out of order. Dr. JAMESON : If this means anything to me it means this, that we have decided to differ here on a question of preference; the self-governing-Colonies against His Majesty's Government taking absolutely different views. This resolution is to emphasise the fact that for commercial intercourse the best thing is for the Colonies to give preference and for His Majesty's Government not to give preference. If we vote for this it puts us in the position that we agree to that, and stultifies everything we have said for the last week. I say that because I personally could not support that on behalf of my colony as it stands. I want to emphasise again that we all say we must have absolute liberty of action on this and every other subject. Mr. LLOYD GEORGE : Sir Wilfrid Laurier, who was the very first to give preference to the Mother Country, does not think so. Dr. JAMESON : I disagree with Sir Wilfrid Laurier. Mr. LLOYD GEORGE : His was the first Colony to propose it —and a very substantial preference he gave us—and he has improved upon it since. Certainly, he does not take that view. He is the father of preference within the Empire. Dr. JAMESON : Sometimes you find children get a little more advanced than the father or mother, as the case may be.

Twelfth Day. 7 May 1907.

Preferential Trade. (Mr. Asquith.)