BRITISH POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1047, 14 November 1903, Page 3

BRITISH POLITICS.

THE TRADE CAMPAIGN.,

By; Electric Telegraph—Per Press Association—Copyright. LONDtON, Nov. 12. Lord Hugh Cecil, at the Birmingham meeting, urged that protection always took out of one pocket and transferred it to the other. Another argument that protection was necessary to keep the people in employment was groundless. Was the nation prepared to protect agriculture to the extent of bringing into cultivation land which had gone out of cultivation ? Therein lay the great opportunity, of finding people employment. If protection was not justified'in that instance, it was justified in none. Mr Balfour’s policy aimed at preserving the import trade —Mr Chamberlain’s aimed at destroying it. The Times says that any private member is entitled to propose anything in Parliament; consequently, the concession in Mr Churchill’s re T solution is meaningless, though perhaps useful in indicating that a section of the Free Food League follow Mr Balfour merely to the extent of admitting that he may, propose a measure '"like the Sugar Convention Bill, and take the chance of being supported even .in that. i Speaking at the London Chamber of Commerce dinner, Professor Ashleys of Birmingham, said that he considerd that unless greater intercourse and closer community of interests was established between the Motherland and Canada, the latter would drift away, becoming independent, or - part of the United States. The drift of Australia to independence was less clear. The present relations of the Motherland and Australia were peculiarly unsatisfactory, 'being largely, the relations of creditor and debtor. The statement was received with cries of dissent. Professor Ashley, continuing, said that preferential tariffs might fail to hind tlie Empire. Mr Granger, the South Australian Agent-. General, said that preference ought to be given without hurting the British taxpayer. Chamberlainism was not going to come right away. It ought to begin slowly, for example, by admitting South Australian apricots free.

HEARTY SUPPORT OF FEDERAL

TREASURER

MELBOURNE, Nov. 13

Sir George Turner, in the opening 'speech of his Federal campaign, strongly, supported Mr Chamberlain’s policy. He said every step they could legitimately take to help the movement they were going to take. He would put Australia first, Britain next and as near Australia as he possibly could, with consideration to their revenue a fid interests. As to the foreigner, let him look after himself. He believed that if a conference were held to discuss the whole question of preference, the conclusions agreed to by the Commonwealth representatives would be unanimously adopted by the Australian people.

Received 11.28 p.m.-, Nov. 13. LONDON, Nov. 13

Mr Balfour, in a letter, explains .when lie mentioned in his Sheffield speech that Britain was deprived of freedom of negotiations, he referred to political traditions, which could not with propriety lie violated excepting at the direct bidding oi the electorates.

Mr Haldane, member for Haddington, speaking at a meeting of the Liberal League, Westminster, said the languishing of certain trades was due to special causes, including lack of scientific methods. Even great protection countries were importing more and more manufactures. Hence the bottom was knocked out of Mr Chamberlain’s case. What was wanted was better education, improved .social conditions of the people, and a Minister of Commerce.