SPEECH BY MR BALFOUR

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 568, 12 November 1902, Page 2

SPEECH BY MR BALFOUR

THE UNITY OF THE EMPIRE,

By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright London, Nov. 11. Mr Balfour had a great reception at tlie Guildhall in connection with tlie swearingin of the new Lord Mavor. In the course

of his speech he said that statesmen before the war asked were the British pie pared to make great national personal sacrifices in the event of war ; were the colonies prepared to tight- tlie Empire’s cause or merely to remain as sleeping partners. Ail tire world knew that the answer had been in the affirmative. Though there were great difficulties to he overcome lie hoped that ere many months were passed that South Africa’s material prosperity would be higher than ever. He anticipated no insuperable difficulty in introducing into the whole Empire a happy spirit of tho liberty and patriotism so eminently distinguishing Australasia and Canada. Great Britain’s foreign relations were excellent. The fantastic reasons invented to account for the Kaiser's visit were ridiculous. He congratulated Lord Lansdowne on the completion of tiie Chinese Commercial Treaty and Japanese Alliance, which had greatly assisted international peace and commerce. lie eloquently urged the dissipation of international prejudices and jealousies from which Great Britain recently suffered in order to maintain European concert, which was the great instrument of peace. He believed that all tlie Rowers well firmly resolved to maintain poaee, and the danger arose when western civilisation came into contact with less advanced ideas.

BALFOUR’S EULOGY OF CHAMBERLAIN.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, Nov. 11.

Mr Balfour declared that Mr Chamberlain's administration of tho Colonial Ollieo was by far tho greatest in British history. His happy intuition to visit South Africa would prove an invaluable precedent, and bo the first of a long series of similar visits. All cherished a hope that at no distant dato some constitutional union may enable the Motherland and her great dependencies, to connect together their affairs in common interest, though the time was not ripo for statesmen to attempt to give practical effect to so gigantic a task. Short of that they might liopo for a closer fiscal union. At any rate, they might completo the system of personal intercouiso which had already borno admirable fruit, and Mr Chainborlain’s visit was tho cause. Ho belioved it would bear far greater fruit in the future.