Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

May I ask my hon. friend if he sees any reason why the particular suggestion he now makes should apply only to these two items and not to the customs tariff generally?

Ways and Means-Customs Tariff

Mr. BENNETT:

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

May I say to my hon. friend that I agree entirely with him as to the eighty-four hours a week; but with respect to his reference in that connection to the treaty of Versailles, what is applicable in one instance should be applicable to all, and if anything is to be done it would be well to have the suggestion apply to the custom tariff generally.

Mr. HEAPS:

I do not know clearly whether the Prime Minister is in favour of the suggestion of the hon. leader of the opposition.

If he is, I am prepared to make a start right now with this item.

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

I am quite

prepared to deal with the whole tariff at one shot.

Mr. HEAPS:

So much the better. I am quite prepared in that case. Perhaps the minister would be good enough to allow this item to stand over to consider the suggestion of the Prime Minister, that where any industry has received protection from parliament by way of duties, it should pay to its employees wages and provide conditions of labour in accordance with the treaty of Versailles.

Mr. DUNNING:

I will let the item stand.

Mr. MacDONALD (Cape Breton South):

In view of the Statement just made by the Prime Minister as to dealing with the whole tariff, and of the difficulties that might arise in that connection, I would point out that there would be no such difficulty in connection with the resolution in regard to the bonus. Will he consent to a provision in that case?

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

My hon.

friend need not try to get away from the issue as a whole. We will either pass the whole thing or nothing.

Mr. MacDONALD (Cape Breton South):

May I point out to the Prime Minister that the bonus resolution is separate altogether from the tariff and can be dealt with promptly if the right hon. gentleman is honest in his statement.

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

We have not

yet reached the bonus resolution. The leader of the opposition has been speaking of the

Versailles treaty. That treaty is applicable throughout the whole Dominion, and will be made applicable all along the line or not at all.

Mr. MacDONALD (Cape Breton South):

Undoubtedly, and on account of the generous promise made by the Prime Minister I thought I might bring the matter to his attention. Will you give us that promise now?

The CHAIRMAN:

Item 377 stands.

Mr. DUNNING:

I presume that applies to all sections of it, Mr. Chairman,-377a, 3'77b and 377c.

Customs tariff-378. Bars and rods, of iron or steel; billets, of iron or steel, weighing less than 60 pounds per lineal yard:

(a) Not further processed than hot rolled, per ton, n.o.p.: British preferential tariff, $4.25; intermediate tariff, $6; general tariff, $7.

(b) Not further processed than hammered or pressed, n.o.p.: British preferential tariff, 15 per cent; intermediate tariff, 25 per cent; general tariff, 30 per cent.

(c) Cold rolled, drawn, reeled, turned or ground, n.o.p.: British preferential tariff, 15 per cent; intermediate tariff, 25 per cent; general tariff, 30 per cent.

(d) Hot rolled, valued at not less than 4 cents per pound, n.o.p.: British preferential tariff, 5 per cent; intermediate tariff, 12J per cent; general tariff, 15 per cent.

Mr. DUNNING:

In 379 (d), Mr. Chairman, I wish to insert after the word "coil" the following:

or bars 1J inches in diameter and over, Amendment agreed to.

Item as amended agreed to.

2376 COMMONS

Ways and Means-Customs Tariff

Customs tariff-380. Plates of iron or steel, hot or cold rolled:

(a) Not more than 40 inches in width, n.o.p., per ton: British preferential tariff, $2; intermediate tariff, $4; general tariff, $6.

(b) More than 40 inches in width, n.o.p., per ton: British preferential tariff, free; intermediate tariff, $3; general tariff, $5.

(c) Flanged, dished, or curved, n.o.p.: British preferential tariff, 10 per cent; intermediate tariff, 25 per cent; general tariff, 30 per cent.

Mr. WHITE (London); Is item (d) of 379 carried?

Mr. DUNNING:

Yes, but I do not object to my hon. friend reverting to it.

Mr. WHITE (London):

This refers to

rods in the coil, not over $ of an inch in diameter. The British preference is $2.25 per ton. The British preference on billets is $2.50 per ton. Usually the items are graded according to the degree of manufacture. In this case we have iron rods, which are more highly processed than billets, at a lower rate than the latter.

Mr. CHAPLIN:

In other words, this is a more highly processed bar, and the duty is less than on the billet itself out of which it is made. That is not reasonable, and cannot in any sense be justified.

Mr. CANTLEY:

Mr. Chairman, the preceding items which we have just passed are even worse than these three items which are all free. For this there is no justification whatever. Those materials under 379 (a), (b) and (c) are and have been made in this country for thirty years. There is no reason why they should be supplied to makers of those finished products absolutely free of all duty, while at the same time you give those manufacturers the highest rate of protection on any product under this tariff. If the iron and steel tariff is to be built along those lines, I want to point out to the minister that it will prove to be an absolute failure. Tariffs must be constructed on scientific lines if they are to be effective for the purposes for which they are intended. The United States for more than forty years have devoted themselves to the construction of a scientific tariff, with the result that they have built np the greatest iron and steel industry in the world; and they did not do it by putting material of this class on the free list. It cannot be done in that way.