BRITISH POLITICS

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1638, 3 January 1906, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS

By telegraph, Press Abb’h, Copyright London, Jan 1, Mr Lloyd George, speaking at Pwllheli, Carnarvonshire, stated that considerable suucccbj was attonding compulsory avbitra'ion in Now Zoaland and Australia, but Conciliation Boards wire tho only present solution of English labour troubles. Personally he wou’d like to see tho experi ment tried in all industries.

Mr George Wyndham, speaking at Dovor, claimed that ho had always denounced more violently half-way houses than tho full measure of Homo Rule. It was better that tho Union should go down immediately than suffer a lingering death Ho would fight as heretofore against any tampering with the Union. Earl Grey, speaking at E cablet m, said tho Liberals’propor couiss was to taka up with Sir Antony MaoDonuell’s helpful and sympathetic pol’cy of administration of Irish affairs, where tho Conservatives loft off for want of courage, when Mr Wyudbam was ousted.

MORE ELECTIONEERING SPEECHES. IRISH AND LABOR COMBINATION By telegraph,, Press 'Ass’n, Copyrigh Rccoivod 10.47 p.m., Jan, 2, London, Jan. 2. Mr Chamberlain, in his election address, charges the Government with seeking

tortuously to "compam disruption of the Kingdom, and dangerous parsimony in national dofence. He adds: A commercial arrangemint with the colonies is tho first item of tbe Unionist)’ future constructive programme, and retaliation tho second. The first will increase tho price of bread the slightest, but will open an immense

new market, and oement Imperial relations. Tbe aim [of tbe second is to secure employment at fair wagos and for the defence of trade aga'nst unfair competition. It will not raise price*. It is defensive, not protective, nor inconsistent; it is the true spirit of freetrade.

Mr Sydney Buxton, in an election address, says: “The Irish question still demands attention and solution. The War Office must be reformed.’’ Ho mentioDs the other points of Sir H. Campbell Baonerman’s Albert Hall speech. These, he said, were some of the questions wherewith he feels sure the Government will deal if given an opportunity. The order and method of handling would depend on the result of the election and mature consideration by tbe Liberal and Progressive party as a whole. Received 11.6 p.m , Jan, 2. Mr Davitt stumps England in suppoit of tbe Independent Labor candidatesTher6 are fifty of these. It is understood that Keir Hardie hopes to return one-half, in which casp, unless given a commanding majority, the Liberals must reckon with an Irish and Labor coalition. Received 11.10 p m., Jan. 2. Mr Balfour, addressing two. thousand people at Leamington, in support of Mr Lyttelton, was frequently interrupted by a number of electors sensitive in . regard to Chinese labor. He dealt chiefly with this quEst’on. He described as foolish, and atrocious falsehood statements that labor ordinances excluded British workers from a profitable field of employment, and tbat Chinese labor in the Transvaal was equivalent to slavery. He characterised the propaganda on this subject as political hypocrisy. Now bye-eleotions were won on the cry of “ slavery,” and the Government in office had no intention to prevent tbe colonies carrying on what was called slavery. . _ , Incidental mention was made of Mr Chamberlain’s admirable speech on Saturday, especially in reference to the importance of colonial markets- He was warmly cheered, Mr Balfour added; “Ido not belong to a patty hearing the colonies express a desire for closer union with the Motherland, yet dosing its ears and muttering shibbo’etbs' about wbat it erroneously desotibts a 3 free trade. As regards British industries, I am iu favor of anything tbat will secure us greater freedom of trade with the colonies, and everything giv'mg us the greatest power to diminish the maleficent influence of those growing tariffs which are threatening to throttle British Made in the large tracts of the civilised world.”

ELECTIONEERING SPEECH. By telegraph, Press Ass’n, Copyright Received 9.10 p.m., Jan. 2. London, Jan. 2. Mr Lyttelton, in an election address, says : The need for fisoal reform is growing, and has become more and more plain. The great self-governing colonies strongly favor preference to an from the Motherland. Prudence mil , business foresight, equally with patriotism, demand that every effort should be made to meet the desire. Ho adds that he is a strong advooate of an investigation of the subject in oonfereDce with the colonies* and that the investigators approach the task with a sincere resolve to advance freetrade within the Empire. “ I am,” he says, “ entirely in agreement with Mr Balfour on the wisdom of taking power to impose retaliatory duties and incline to the belief that a good starting point would be a liw uniform duty for revenue purposes on imported manufactures.” After condemning Home Rule as a side wind, he declares that as the 'late Government were pledged to abide by the decision of an elected and really representstivejeg’slature in the Transvaal, such as was now being formed, a temporary halt to the recruitment of Chinese seems important. With this exception Lord Elgin’s decision is in general ha'mmy with the late Goveipment's policy. The South African Freights Confer, nee adjourned pending the Imperial Government’s consideration of the precise form of colonial legitl itioo. It is proposed to reassemble in South Africa.