DOES CANADA PREFER FRANCE?
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—There must be many others like Lieutenant-Commander Astbury, M.P., who, while convinced Free Traders in a general sense, wish to see a vigorous reservation made in favour of the British dyestuffs industry. Greater Britain's annual dyestuffs requirements are roughly these :—South Africa, 50 tons ; New Zealand, 200 tons ; Australia, 400 tons ; Canada, 1,200 tons ; India, 7,000 tons. Now, in Australia it is for- bidden for any manufacturer of foreign dyestuffs to send goods into the Commonwealth unless he has a licence. Aus- tralia, however, is the only region of the British Empire which has set up this absolute prohibition against the outsider. In South Africa German dyes are freely used. In Canada we bold at the moment only about one tenth of the market. In India the German, paying the same rate of duty as we do, has just as much advantage, although it is not at all improbable that here terms could be arranged as between India and ourselves. Indeed, it seems to me that before the Empire Premiers go home, some very definite understanding should be come to regarding the attitude of the Dominions to the Mother Country—at least, as far as dyestuffs are concerned. An efficient dyestuffs industry is a vital factor in any future war ; it is surely only logical that the Empire, which was united for the Great War, should be united during peace-time
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