▁was ▁threatened . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 1 , ▁Australia ▁introduced ▁ste ep ▁new ▁tar iffs ▁on ▁Canadian ▁news print ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁as ▁it ▁announced ▁its ▁read iness ▁to ▁conclude ▁trade ▁treat ies ▁with ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire . ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁Mack en zie ▁King ' s ▁minister ▁of ▁trade ▁and ▁commerce , ▁James ▁Rob b , ▁set ▁out ▁for ▁Australia ▁in ▁renew ed ▁purs uit ▁of ▁a ▁bil ater al ▁trade ▁agreement . ▁ ▁The ▁Austral ians ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁t ough ▁b arg ain ers . ▁As ▁was ▁the ▁case ▁during ▁earlier ▁r ounds ▁of ▁negoti ations , ▁there ▁was ▁little ▁in cent ive ▁for ▁them ▁to ▁conclude ▁a ▁reci pro cal ▁trade ▁agreement . ▁Australian ▁officials ▁also ▁res ented ▁Mack en zie ▁King ' s ▁rel uct ance ▁to ▁seek ▁a ▁broad ▁imperial ▁solution ▁to ▁the ▁post war ▁sl ump ▁in ▁trade . ▁In ▁their ▁view , ▁any ▁agreement ▁with ▁Canada ▁would ▁merely ▁assist ▁American ▁subs idi aries ▁operating ▁in ▁the ▁domin ion ▁at ▁the ▁exp ense ▁of ▁companies ▁from ▁Britain . ▁For ▁over ▁two ▁years , ▁the ▁discuss ions ▁drag ged ▁on ▁before ▁Canadian ▁negoti ators ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁give ▁in ▁to ▁Australian ▁dem ands ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁preserve ▁the ▁market ▁for ▁British ▁Columbia ' s ▁forest ry ▁products . ▁In ▁exchange ▁for ▁receiving ▁important ▁con cess ions ▁on ▁can ned ▁sal mon , ▁auto ▁parts ▁and ▁paper , ▁Canada ▁reduced ▁its ▁duties ▁on ▁Australian ▁meat ▁and ▁but ter