A.—4,

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llth Day.] Dues on Vessels passing through Suez Canal. [19 June, 1911 Mr. McKINNON WOOD : And perhaps lie would not mind altering the words in the first line in this way: " This Conference is of opinion that the*'dues " levied upon shipping using the Suez Canal constitute a heavy charge, and tend to "retard the trade within the Empire, and with other countries." Instead of saying : " are excessive and seriously retard," say " constitute a heavy charge and tend to retard." Mr. FISHER: I see no objection. Sir JOSEPH WARD : I think under those circumstances we could accept this Resolution. Mr. FISHER: You do not alter it in any way to weaken that ? Mr. McKINNON WOOD: No. Sir FREDERICK BORDEN: In view of that amendment I agree to the Resolution. Sir JOSEPH WARD : I agree also. I think the amendment meets what Mr. Fisher wants just as strongly as the original Resolution ; but as Great Britain "has only one-tenth of the representation, I quite foresee the desirability of being a little diplomatic in the wording of the Resolution. In New Zealand we take up exactly the same standpoint as Australia. We are not doing anything like the amount of trade through the Canal that we do by direct steamer with England ; but we have for years been giving a considerable contribution for our mails, and we also pay an annual subsidy to steamers to connect weekly with the steamers going through the Canal, and a considerable proportion of passengers go by those steamers from New Zealand. But there is a class of people in our country who know the conditions connected with the Suez Canal, and that is the producers, who have been exceedingly sore for many years owing to the heavy imposts levied on ships, because they look upon it as a route which would be availed of by some of the direct liners if the charges were low enough. I have for years in my own country spoken about the heavy charges, and at previous Conferences here I have brought the matter up. What we feel is that while the Suez Canal is a magnificent asset from a strategical point of view, and reflects the highest credit upon the great intellect which at the proper time stepped in and secured an interest in it for England, yet it was never contemplated to allow it to be used as a colossal dividend-earner at the expense of the ships, their cargoes and passengers, and the extraction of such enormous dividends from the Suez Canal is injurious to trade and detrimental to the best interests of the old country as well as of the oversea Dominions. It is at present a prohibitive toll bar of the sea, and the high charges are so excessive that they should be materially reduced. General BOTHA: We agree. CHAIRMAN: Then the Resolution as amended is carried. Mr. FISHER : I am pleased with the reception which the motion has met with, and I hope it means business. We pay 170,000?. a year to accelerate the mails of Australia and New Zealand. We cannot help New Zealand very much. Sir JOSEPH WARD : No, we pay all our own. You do not pay anything for New Zealand. Mr. FISHER: But very few from New Zealand go that way. Sir JOSEPH WARD : Very few what ?