Australia and Lancashire Cotton The tension in Lancashire, arising from
the refusal of the Australian Government to delay the collection of the new duties on cotton goods till the British ease had been heard, has been eased by Mr. Lyons's speech. Time has at least been gained by the promise to review tariffs on certain classes of cotton goods, and to extend the date for the entry of duty-free goods. Time, indeed, is of the essence of the matter, since it is quite clear that the Australian decision was influenced not a little by the purely party considerations of an election. When that is over, the British claims will be weighed, it may be hoped, exclusively on their merits. In the meantime the Lancashire Cotton Trade Organizations are very wisely showing their desire to meet the need of the cotton-grewers of Queensland for additional outlets for their crops. They arc relieved also of the excessive and somewhat embarrassing loyalty of their friends, the Grocers' Association, who have with difficulty been restrained from pursuing immediately their boycott of Australian produce. Reprisals of that kind were not happily conceived. The project, though not abandoned, has been at least postponed.
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