BRITISH POLITICS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4779, 21 November 1924, Page 1

BRITISH POLITICS.

PROBLEMS OF THE FUTURE. IRELAND LOOMING LARGELY. Keim mug to iNew zcaiaud inter an aosenee ot sixteen years Mr 1. w. KaymUaU, Liu has oeen closely associated with the political destinies oi tiic uominant conservative Party, uiscucses Bi Hain's problems of ,tne future, telecasting tnat the one concerning the Irish boundary is the gravest,

A month before the British elections two friends met at a club in London, and talked of the possible result. One made bold to make a forecast and to pledge his opinion to the extent of providing a dinner at an exclusive West End hotel, >f his forecast was materially wide of the markIt was as follows : Conservatives, 350 to 400 ; Liberals, not more than 50 ; Labour. not more' than 150 ; doubtful, 10 Before the elections came on. .the political tipster—-it was Mr Raymond — was on the high seas, returning to New Zealand by the T.ainui. He will have to wait until May next, when he reaches London again, before he can claim his dinner.

Mr Raymond has a triple claim to the notice of New Zealanders. He held a unique position in Invercargill nineteen years ago, being at. the same time chairman of the Southland County Council, Harbour Board, Chamber of Commerce, and Education Board, besides contesting the Mataura seat in the House of Representatives on two occasions, Two years after going Home he contested the Carlisle seat on .the Imperial Preference policy ol Joseph Chamberlain, and, had he remained, would have been returned in the Conservative interest for the safe Conservative Camberwell North seat. During the war he succeeded Lord Plunket as chairman of the War Contingent Red Cross in London. On his arrival at Auckland representatives of the returned Soldiers Association welcomed him back, .uni lie also received felicitous wishes from the Palmerston North district branch on his way south. To nalf-a-dozen Questions presented to Mr Raymond regarding the political future of Great Britain ready answers were forthcoming.

“At a very early date the Conservative Government will reinstate the McKenna duties on foreign motorcars and other articles, which were taken away by the Labour Government.

“Another step of the Baldwin Government will be to re-establish the Safeguarding of Industries Act of Great Britain as a panacea for unemployment.

“The decisions of the last Imperial Conference, side-tracked by Mr. Ramsay McDonald, will be confirmed, and reciprocal tariffs designed that will greatly faster the Dominions’ trade with’Britain, especially in foodstuffs.

“The Singapore b<|se project will be revived, and the Government will redeem the pledges i.t gave prior l to the brief Labour regime to Australia and New Zealand.

“Ireland, the most difficult problem of all, will be seriously considered by the Government. I believe the ultimate result will be a continuance of the Free State and Ulster Governments, with modest correction or irregularities in regard to the boun-. dar-y.

“It is to be hoped that the social condition of the people, disturbed by 4000 strikes in England alone during the yeans succeeding the war, will be improved during the present Government’s term of office.”

Turning to New Zealand affairs, Mr Raymond said he had come into contact with many London financiers who did not know he was a New Zealander and who therefore gave an unbiased opinion. “They place the Dominion at the top, regarding it as the safest country to invest in. The loans raised from time to time fully confirm the view. They recognise, from a productive point of view, that the people of New Zealand are a serious race, and are bent on ooing their best towards improving their national production. Although Labour occasionally stepis over the traces the London financiers seem to be confident that Labour will never be a serious menace to the Dominion.”