§ Mr. HUNTasked whether Mr. Bryce, our Ambassador in America, assisted in any way to bring about the proposed preferential trading arrangements between the United States and Canada?
The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. McKinnon Wood)I have nothing to add to the reply returned to the question asked by the hon. Member for Hammersmith on the 16th inst.
§ Mr. HUNTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Prime Minister stated that the British Ambassador was in constant communication with the Canadian negotiations? Is that true?
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he would lay upon the Table of the House the text of all instructions that may have been given to His Majesty's Ambassador at Washington with regard to the 1519 reciprocity negotiations between Canada and the United States, and the text of all reports from the Ambassador relating thereto?
Mr. McKINNON WOODI must refer the hon. Member to the reply returned by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the question of the hon. Member for the Chertsey Division of Surrey on the 8th inst.
§ Mr. GOLDMANasked whether His Majesty's Government have had any communications with the Canadian Government on the application of the Reciprocity Agreement to most-favoured-nation countries; and whether the concessions included in the Canada-United States reciprocity agreement must, when the agreement is in operation, be extended to all foreign countries to whom Canada extends most-favoured-nation treatment?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe Canadian Government have announced that the advantages of the agreement will extend to such countries.
§ Mr. GOLDMANIn view of the right hon. Gentleman's reply, will he communicate with the President of the Board of Trade and ask him to obtain from the Commercial Intelligence Branch a report of the effect on British trade by the extension of the Canadian tariff concessions to the United States to such a large number of other British competitors in the Canadian market?
Mr. McKINNON WOODI have no doubt that will be carefully considered by my right hon. Friend when full information has been received.
§ Mr. CROFTasked on how many of the 102 items in the Reciprocity Agreement between the United States and Canada the preference with the United Kingdom is diminished; and on how many the preference is completely wiped out?
§ Mr. HUNTasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that of the 102 items on which the duties would be lowered for goods entering Canada from the United States under the proposed Reciprocal Agreement, seventy-two are items in which British preference is lowered, and thirty are items in which British preference is wiped out; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Sydney Buxton)I would refer the hon. Member to the Return Cd. 5537, issued on Thursday last, which gives full particulars of the changes of duty which would result from the adoption of the proposed agreement.
§ Mr. CROFTIs it the fact, as asked in the second part of my question, that on some of these items the preference would be entirely wiped out?
§ Mr. BUXTONI explained the other day in a speech which I made to the House the nature of the result. The hon. Gentleman will find in this paper the information that he requires.
§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYIs it not a fact that the Canadian Government's hands are in no way bound with regard to Preference, and that they have promised to give the most favourable consideration to this country?
§ Mr. BUXTONSo I understand.
§ Mr. PETOasked the President of the Board of Trade whether wheat conveyed from Canada in bond for shipment from United States ports and shipped to this country from United States ports during the winter season is reckoned in the Board of Trade returns under the heading of exports from Canada or exports from the United States?
§ Mr. BUXTONThe records of imports into this country are based upon the countries from which the goods were consigned and not on the countries from which they were shipped. Consequently, if Canadian wheat shipped from United States ports is consigned to the United Kingdom from Canada it appears in the Trade Returns as imported from that Dominion.
§ Mr. REMNANTasked the Prime Minister whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the instructions given to His Majesty's Ambassador at Washington, in connection with the reciprocity negotiations between Canada and the United States, in which His Majesty's Ambassador assisted, and the communications on the subject between His Majesty's Ambassador and His Majesty's Government; and whether he will give His Majesty's Ambassador at Washington instructions to 1521 make inquiries as to whether Mr. Champ Clark, leader of the Democratic party in the United States and the Speaker-Elect of the new House of Representatives, has stated that the British Government would willingly and joyfully assent to the Dominion of Canada becoming part of the Republic, so that the American flag could fly over the whole of British North America right up to the Pole?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)As regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the hon. Member for the Central Division of Sheffield to-day, and to the answer which he returned to the hon. Member for Hammersmith on the 16th instant. As regards the second part of the question I do not consider it necessary to give fictitious importance to the alleged statement by sending official instructions about it.
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that I have received no answer from the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs except to refer me to somebody else?
§ Mr. REMNANTIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the statement alluded to in the latter part of his reply appears in the Official Report of the United States House of Representatives?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat makes no difference to my answer.
§ Mr. REMNANTIt shows it is not fictitious?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI did not say it was fictitious. I will repeat my answer:—
I do not consider it necessary to give fictitious importance ….
Sir GILBERT PARKERMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he considers a statement made by the Leader of a great party in the United States a fictitious statement?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe hon. Gentleman does not appear to appreciate the effect of the answer that I do not "give fictitious importance to the statement."
§ Mr. REMNANTMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman will say it is an alleged statement when it appears in he Official Report of the House of Representatives?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am quite ready to believe that the statement was made, but I have no official knowledge of it.
§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYrose——
§ Mr. SPEAKERI think we have heard enough of the matter.
§ Mr. CROFTasked whether Mr. Bryce, the British Ambassador at Washington, watched the conclusions of the various stages of the reciprocity negotiations between Canada and the United States; was he in constant communication with the Canadian negotiators; and did he keep his eye on the special interests of British trade; and (2) whether Mr. Bryce was successful in preventing any minimising of the British preference during the negotiations?
§ The PRIME MINISTERDuring the negotiations at Washington between the Canadian and United States representatives the discussion ranged over man details of a complicated nature, and it was not possible for His Majesty's Ambassador at Washington to follow the various stages closely. His Excellency was, however, furnished with accounts by the Canadian Delegates from time to time. The answer to the latter part of the question is in the affirmative. The extent to which the British preference has been minimised is one on which the hon. Member will be able to form his own opinion.
§ Mr. HUNTIs it a fact that our Ambassador at Washington agreed to the diminution of the British preference, and to the doing away with the most-favoured-nation clause?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt was not a question for the agreement of the British Ambassador. These were negotiations for agreements to be submitted to the Canadian and United States Legislatures respectively.
§ Mr. BURGOYNEAre we to understand that the Ambassador did not keep his eye on the special interests of the trade of this country?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have already said that he did.