Document Information

Date: 1862-
By: House of Assembly of Prince Edward Island
Citation: Prince Edward Island, “Correspondence relative to the establishment of a Free commercial intercourse or reciprocal Free trade between the British North American Provinces (Appendix F.)”, Journal of the House of Assembly of Prince Edward Island., 1862
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JOURNAL

OF THE

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

OF

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

ANNO VICESIMO QUINTO VICTORIAE REGINAE.

Fourth Session of the Twenty-first General Assembly

CHARLOTTETOWN:

PRINTED AT “THE EXAMINER” OFFICE

1862.

APPENDIX

(F.)

(See Page 24.)

Correspondence relative to the establishment of a Free commercial intercourse or reciprocal Free trade between the British North American Provinces.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

QUEBEC,

1^st February, 1862.

Sir;

1 have the honor to enclose for the consideration of your Excellency, and of your Constitutional advisers, a minute of the Executive Council of this Province, 23rd November, 1859, which was approved of by my predecessor Sir E. Head.

Upon the transmission of this document to England, exception was taken by the Board of Trade to the course proposed to be pursued. This led to a correspondence which extended over several months, and has caused the delay in bringing the matter before your notice.

Your Excellency will perceive by the last Despatch, No. 2, November 5, 1861, from the Colonial Office, that Her Majesty’s Government have withdrawn their objection to the plan for the establishment of Free Commercial Intercourse between the different Provinces of British North America, and I shall be very glad to hear from you whether you think proposals for the purpose from the Government of this Province would be favourable received by your advisers.

I have the honor to be,

&c., &c., &c.

(Signed) MONCK.

Lieut. Governor Dundas,

&c., &c., &c.,

A true copy,

(Signed) GEORGE D. ATKINSON.

Copy of a Report of a Commiltee of the Honorable the Executive Council, approved by His Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the 23rd November, 1859.

On a communication dated, 21st inst., of the Hon. the Minister of Finance, stating that it is desirable to extend the arrangements whereby certain productions of the several B. N. A. Provinces are reciprocally admitted Free. So as to include all articles either produced or manufactured within the said Provinces.

That it would also be important to ascertain, how far it might be practicable to assimilate the Tariffs of the several Provinces, so as to permit entire Free Trade between them, and he recommends that your Excellency be requested to communicate with the Lieutenant Governors of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island, for the purpose of ascertaining whether the Governments of those Provinces are prepared to unite with Canada, in recommending Legislation for the purpose of establishing the reciprocal free interchange of all productions and manufactures of the respective Provinces, and further to enquire how far it might be practicable to assimilate the Tariffs of the several Provinces so as to permit entire Free Trade between them.

The Committee concur in the recommendation of the Minister of Finance, and submit the same for your Excellency’s approval.

Certified,

Wm. H. LEE, C. E. C.

[COPY]

CANADA

No. 2

DOWNING STREET,
5th November, 1861

My Lord;

I think it right to inform you, that I have not overlooked the important subject of the minute of the Executive Council, forwarded to me by Sir E. Head in his Despatch, No. 2, of the 2nd January, relative to the establishment of a reciprocal Free Trade between the British Provinces of North America, and an assimilation of their Tariffs.

The Government of Canada thought it desirable to make an attempt to accomplish these ends, and wished to know, whether there would be any objection on the part of the Imperial Government.

I have the honor to inform you that ,Her Majesty’s Government feel no wish to offer an obstacle to any endeavour, which may be made by the respective Provincial Governments to bring about a free Commercial Intercourse between the North American Provinces.

I have, &c., &c., &c.

(Signed) NEWCASTLE.

Viscount Monck.

&c., &c., &c.,