§ Mr. MACMASTERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if any of the countries, other than Austria-Hungary and Italy, with whom we have Most-Favoured-Nation Treaties affecting the Australian Commonwealth, or Canada, or any other of the Dominions of the Crown, have been approached with a view to the re-negotiation of those treaties?
§ Sir E. GREYHis Majesty's Government are approaching the Governments of Argentina, Colombia, Denmark, France, Mexico, Morocco, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Venezuela, in regard to the position of the Self-Governing Dominions under commercial840W treaties with those countries. It is not, however, proposed to re-negotiate our treaties with these Powers; but merely to secure, if possible, for the Self-Governing Dominions the right to withdraw from them, should they wish to do so, apart from the United Kingdom.
§ Colonel WARDEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether, in the re-negotiation of commercial treaties with Foreign nations to which His Majesty's Government is now pledged, it is proposed to adopt the precedent of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of 1911, and agree to a further restriction of the fiscal autonomy of the United Kingdom?
§ Sir EDWARD GREYThere is no present intention of re-negotiating any of our commercial treaties. The hon. and gallant Member probably has in mind action in pursuance of one of the resolutions adopted by the recent Imperial Conference; but this has reference solely to procuring for the self-governing dominions the right of separate withdrawal (should they wish to exercise it) from certain old treaties by which they are now bound.