IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2260, 4 August 1908, Page 3

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

THE BRITISH NAVY. HIGH EFFICIENCY TO BE MAINTAINED. United Press Association. Copyright LONDON, August 2. Mr. Haldane, Secretary of State for War, speaking at Falmouth, said the Government intended to maintain the navy in the highest state of efficiency and strength, with the reliable second lino of defence for emergency, which the army now provides. A BYE-ELECTION. A CONSERVATIVE RETURNED. United Press Association, Copyright LONDON, August 2. Mr Rupert- Guinness; Conservative, lias been elected for Haggerston, polling 2867 votes. Warren, Radical, obtained 1724, and Burrows, Socialist, 987. Mr. Guinness is a convinced -tariff reformer. Two thousand Social Democrats assisted Mr. Burrows in canvassing. THE NEW TAXATION. . TARIFF REFORM. United Press Association. Copyright (Received August 3, 11.10 p n>.) LONDON, August 3. Tlho “Spectator” estimates the new taxation required in 1909 to be at least £16,000,000, which it was impossible to raise without jeopardising free trade. It fears the voters ’.'ill not stick to free trade when the tai ff reformers assure them the fiscal embarrassments will altogether •lanisli if the country will permit the tariff experiment to be tried.

UNIVERSAL DISARMAMENT. SPEECH BY MIC ASQUITH. United Press Association. Copyright (Received August 3, 11,40 p.m.) LONDON, August 3. At the Government's dinner at the Hotel Cecil to the delegates to tlie Peace Congress, Mr Asquith, ill proposing the toast of the international peace movement, said he did not expect that the youngest present would see universal disarmament. National security must hold first place in the plans of those'responsible for government. Prudent statesmanship must provide for the contingency of war, devising, besides, the means ol minimising the risks of international quarrels. The first was the growth of international agreements, not alliances, for alliances were sometimes hindrances. The main thing was for nations to know and understand, one anotiier and to suppress hereditary antagonism.