Tariffs and the Empire The new Australian tariff, which falls
heavily on textiles, is having unhappy repercussions and Lancashire is threatening to back up its objections to it with a boycott on Australian goods. At Bolton, for example, the grocers' association, representing 200 members, has passed a resolution pledging itself to refuse to accept or distribute Australian produce until the proposed increases in the tariffs on Lancashire textiles are with- drawn. Many other towns are said to.be contemplating similar steps. This attitude will inevitably have reac- tions in the forthcoming General Election in Australia. Dr. Earle Page, the leader of the Country Party, has come out with an important counterblast to the tariff policy of Mr. Lyons. He stands for a policy of lower tariffs and advocates the maximum possible tariff prefer- ence for Great Britain and the extension of the Ottawa agreements to increase Empire trade, but this is merely a minority voice, for Mr. Scullin in a speech on Wednesday made it clear that the Labour Party wanted more Protection, not less. The Empire Free Trade idea is going to get no support from the Dominions.
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