V.—: Benefits offered to Canada.

The Canadian Customs returns put down to England’s account all that is sent there; the English figures only count what comes in, and the difference is considerable. According to Canadian returns, it sent in 1904 £4,714,000 worth of wheat; the English returns reduce the total to £3,787,000. The English figures for Canadian imports in 1904 are—

Foodstuffs are 72 per cent. of Canada’s imports to us.

The import of wheat has been 1,550,000 quarters. Admitting that the 2s. a quarter duty on foreign wheat produced its full effect, there would be £155,000 to hand over to Canada. Mr. Chamberlain has never stated what the precise tax on wheat would be, but he has said it would give “a substantial preference to the miller,” i.e., the English miller. He has never explained how the Canadian miller was to benefit. But taking the assessment to be the same as in the case of wheat, and allowing 3 qrs. of grain equal to 2 of flour, we have 642,000 qrs. at 2s., i.e., £64,200. The 5 per cent. tax on meat if it had its full effect would work out and dairy produce for Canada. In a word, to give a great extension to the trade between Canada and the Mother Country, and to tighten the bond of sympathy which results from common interests, Mr. Chamberlain generously offers to its six million inhabitants £739,000, or 2s. 8d. per head, per year. “Think Imperially,” cried Mr. Chamberlain: and the grandeur of his conception is proved by his declaration that the Empire would fall in ruins if the inhabitants of the United Kingdom did not offer the Canadians this monthly dole of 10 farthings a head!