BRITISH POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1054, 23 November 1903, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

THE FISCAL CONTROVERSY;,

By Telegraph—Press Association — Copyright London, Nov. 20. Mr H. H. Asquith, speaking at Sant . Neots, said the Unionist party was split : from top to bottom. Mr Balfour bad not resigned, but Mr Chamberlain governed. The Liberals woro absolutely united on every living issue. Agriculturists would gain nothing by Mr Chamberlain’s scheme. j Is was really an imposture. None of the colonies desirod to imposo a burden on Britain’s poor. Ho opposed Mr Cbamborlain becauso his policy imperilled Imperial unity. Canada sent to England more bounty-fed iron than the United States, and Germany would therefore retaliate upon her. It was impossible to imagine greater disservice to the Ernpiro than engendering in the masses the idea that without corresponding compensative gain they were called upon to rnnke groat sacrifices in tho name of the Empire for tho sake of the colonies.

Lord Ripou, speaking at Harrowgate, appealed to his hearers not to abaudou freetrado for an unwholesome quagmiro. Durban, Nov. 20. An enthusiastic meeting here, by an overwhelming majority, endorsed Mr Chamberlain’s proposals. Received 9.53 a.in., Nov, 22. London, Nov. 21. Mr Chamberlain addressed a meeting at Cardiff, aud received a trememdous ovation. In tho course of a spirited spoocli ho dealt mainly with tho necessity of fostering Home industries, and tho creation of a Homo demand for coal, also as to the effect of tho American tariff on tho tin plate industry. A resolution of hoarty support of Mr Chamberlain’s policy was unanimously carried.

REPLY BY MR CHAMBERLAIN,

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright

Received 12,24 a.m., Nov. 23. London, Nov. 21,

Mr P. B. Haldane, speaking at Romford, said that trade was healthy, though less progressive than was dosirable. r What was needed were better methods, enormously better education, social reforms, and a roally great Minister of Commerce. Lord Goschen, in a lettor to tho Times, emphasisos the importance of the Board of Trade Blue Book calculations showing the great invisible exports.

Received 12.30 a.m., Nov. 23. London, Nov. 22.

Mr Chamberlain, at Cardiff, addressed 4000, including Mr W. J. Bryan, tho American Presidential candidate. Mr Ghamborlain announced his intention to visit the agricultural districts. Ho declared tho towns did not require much more persuasion. During tho six weeks’ campaign he had made considerable progress. While tho Freo Food League, tho new Cave of Adullum, .and many party opponents woro prepared to treat tariff refoim as a national andlmporial question, Sir H. CampbellBannerman and his followers were responsible for throwing it into tho furnace of local politics. Ho accepted Sir Michael Hioks-Beach’s remarkablo declaration at Bristol with gratitude, though opposed to himself. The Duke of Devonshire seemed content to bo a drag to tho Government’s wheels. It was a curious ambition. Lord Goschen wos similarly desirous of going down to posterity as a drag to tho whool. Aftor Hugh Cecil and Winston Churchill, tho great twin brothers of politics, had convorted a recent Birmingham mooting, packed with Radical freetraders, into supposing n policy of retaliation, ho felt hopeful of them. Those waverings, qualifications, and hesitations were vory different to the sonorous orthodoxy of three woelss Chamberlain warned Cardiff that tho timo had come when they must depend upon the Homo coal trade. Therefore it would be bettor to foster Homo industries dependent on the coal trade. If they had not been bound hand and foot they might now have all the American tin plate-trade. The Welsh tin plating industry increased by leap 3 aud bouuds until the McKinley tariff was made. It doubled eafih decade, aggregating 450,000 tons in 1895. If tbo normal rise had continued there would now be 900,000 tons. Last year’s exports to America,once tho principal market, was 65,000 tons. Even that was bound to go as tho result of tho McKinley tariff. The American tin plating industry had grown from 500 tons to 400,000 tons. Owing to the Boer war and colonial demands tho Welsh tin piato industry had revived somewhat, but the cxpotfcs wevo stijl 80,000 tons below what they were a decade since. If the American trado had been retained, instead of losing 80,000 tons, the Welsh tin piato industry would have gained 320,000 tons. Besides tho loss of trade there had been a great loss of wages amounting to hundreds of thousands in one industry alone, American and German dumping of tin plate bars and billets had temporarily improved tho Welsh tin plate industry. Lysagbt Company, the well-known manufacturers, had informed him they bought 50,000 tons of foreign steel at a price considerably below British, but declared they wore willing to sacrifice such an advantage for the soke of an arrangement with tho colonies giving British iron preference over foreign.