The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, JULY 5, 1909. AN ENGLISHMAN’S BIRTHDAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2545, 5 July 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, JULY 5,1909. AN ENGLISHMAN’S BIRTHDAY.

On Thursday next there is to be a great demonstration at the Royal Albert Hall, London, in honor of the 73rd birthday of the Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, On that occasion Airs Chamberlain will be present to receive the congratulations of friends and admirers of the great statesman in all parts of the Empire. In connection with this celebration a movement has been initiated in Christchurch, having for its object tlie participation of this Dominion. Writing upon this project the author says: I think that whatever our views on polities argj we must all agree that Mr Chamberlain was the greatest Colonial Minister England has ever had, and that it was he who first realized the idea of an united Empire; who rescuod the over-seas possessions from official neglect, and gave them the importance which is now accorded as their due. It is, I fear, unlikely that he. will evor take a prominent part in public life again, and his long illness has caused him to drop more or , less out of the public view.

In'these circumstances, the proposed recognition of his services is bound to give great pleasure both to the veteran statesman and his devoted wife, and it is- one in which I hope ( Now Zealand will share. The above expresses the position with accuracy and good,taste and we should like to see the occasion noted by the public representatives of Gisborne. A message, from one or other of the local bodies might, with propriety, he sent aiul ~ the act would demonstrate that wo in this portion of tho over-seas dominions are not unmindful of the services bestowed upon the Empire by.-such statesmen as the Right Hon. Joseph' Chamberlain. Although now out of. ■public life; his scheme of . fiscal reform is still tho most dominant issue in Eng--lish politics and there seems little doubt that a few years will find Air Chamberlain’s ideals of preferential trade within the Empire .the basis of our commercial operations. It was in May 1903 that he outlined his tariff proposals and a few months ' later lie resigned from the British Cabinet in order that he might devote his

whole time to educating the country; on the fiscal issue. After carrying on an active propoganda for three years his health, broke down and since 1906 he has, practically speaking, taken no part in (public life. But the movement he had so energetically initiated has still gone on and tariff-reform is gaining new converts every day in England. The important part Mr Chamberlain has taken in this absorbing issue has tended to obscure his other achievements, but it must not be overlooked that his representation of Birmingham in Parliament for 31 years has enabled him to carry out quite o number of projects, anyone of which would justify his taking, a .prominent place in English history. In Mr Gladstone’s Ministry ho passed the Bankruptcy Act and tho Patents Act. Later on he secured-the acceptance of free education for the working classes and passed a Bill for assisting working people to purchase their own houses. Ho promoted the Local Government Bill for the Counties, the Small Holdings Bill for the agricultural labaorers, and {finally took a leading part in giving compensation to '.workers for accidents. Even before he entered Parliament Mr Chamberlain had a notable municipal career, for he- was three times Mayor of Birmingham and, as an advanced radical, completely transformed the political activities of that city.