BRITISH POLITICS

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1639, 4 January 1906, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS

HOME RULE AND FISCAL QUESTION. By, telegraph, Press Ass’n, GoDyright Received 11.36 p.m, Jan. 3. London, Jan 3. Lord James of Hereford in a letter the Free Trade League, says that tee House of Lords rejected Home Rule by ten to one, and it will again be decisively rejected unless a vats of the electorates is specially taken, which waß not now the case. He adds : " 1 fought for the maintenance of the Union and will continue to fight for it, but I protest against the present sham battle cry. It is unfair. We see the Unionist flag high aloft and beneath it the protectionist flag. It 18 forced on me. Free traders are entitled to say “ these are not our friends. Wo fight on their side, but true faith bids us fight against them!”

ELECTION ADDRESSES. By telegraph, Press Ass’n, Cony right Received 11 57 p.m.. Jan. 3. London, Jan. 3. Mr Balfour, in sn election address, vindicated the Unionist policy .in regard to domestic, foreign and colonial affairs. Tbs new Government was known in the electorates chiefly as critics. Their criticism was sometimes unscrupulous, sometimes perverse. He denounces their programme of Home Rule as destruction aod spoiliation. He emphasises the differences dividing the confederacy of parties whereon the Cabinet depends. Lord Webby, in an address as president of the- Cobden Clue, emphasises the dangers of any return to a- system of intricate and provocative , tariffs. He recommends a sweeping freetrade majority lest prolcotionist Bgitation distract tho nation's counsels for years. Mr Lloyd George, speaking at Carnarvon, 3aid that he had Sir Campbell Bannerman’s authority to announce that the disestablishment in Wales he had advocated since 1888 was still an essential part of his programme. Mr Chamberlain, addressing his constituents, said that more had been doue for social reform in the past deoade than in aoy previous one. As regards the main issues of the election, there were two sides to the Unionist policy. The negative side was resistance to Home Rule ; a Liberal majority would mean that the Government was wholly Redmond’s. Tho positive side was fiscal reform. Ho advocated a duty on luxuries and imported manufactures, not on raw material.