1524 IMPERIAL UNITY [PART VIII 
additional men shipped. The British ship would not be in 
a position to do so, and thus British shipping would be at 
a disadvantage as compared with foreign shipping, which 
was no doubt not the desire of the Dominion. He considered, 
therefore, that it was impossible to alter the existing arrange- 
ment, and he reminded the Conference that British shipping 
was subject to retaliation from foreign Powers if New 
Zealand imposed upon such shipping her own conditions. 
The rule was that no country imposed on ships of another 
country her own conditions as to wages, manning, or 
accommodation, but merely took precautions to prevent 
unseaworthy ships sailing from her ports. 
In conclusion, Mr. Buxton suggested that the question 
was one which might engage the attention of the Royal 
Commission which by another resolution it had been agreed 
to set up, to examine into the commercial relations of the 
Empire, and he asked Sir J. Ward if he could not see his way 
to withdraw his resolution on that ground. Sir J. Ward! 
in reply recapitulated the legal position, pointing out that 
the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, ruled the situation, and 
that under its terms (ss. 785 and 736) the Dominions could 
only regulate coasting trade and registered ships, and in each 
case subject to the royal assent being obtained before the 
enactment took effect. The law forbade effective action 
against those vessels which carried Lascar crews, and it was 
an economic question. They had tried similarly to impose 
their rates on vessels which came from elsewhere paying 
lower wages, a reference to the attempts to enforce the 
New Zealand conditions on the Australian vessels of Messrs. 
Huddart, Parker & Co. The position was too serious to 
permit of the withdrawal of the resolution. Sir Wilfrid 
Laurier 2 then proceeded to support the resolution, but he 
argued in the style of Sir John Thompson. that the British 
Cd. 5745, pp. 416-8. 
" Thid., pp. 418, 419, The argument is not tenable, for after 1867 Acts 
cc. 128 and 129 of 1873 respecting registered shipping expressly pro- 
ceeded on the power given by s. 547 of the Imperial Act 17 & 18 Vict. c. 104 ; 
and in the face of this admission argument is useless. Cf. also 7 & 8 Edw. 
VIL ec. 64, which recognizes the effect of s. 736 of 57 & 58 Yict. c. 60.