IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 19, 23 January 1902, Page 3

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

I BRILLIANT BPEBCH BY MR CHAM- | HBRLAIN. PSI PRESS ABBOCIATION. London, January 21. In the House of Commons, Mr Cawj ley, member for the Prestwich divis- ' ion of Lancashire, in a pro-Boer speech, moved his foreshadowed amendment to the Addrees-in-Reply. No Liberal laader had risen when M.r Chamberlain brilliantly replied, vindicating the humanity of the Government and the Generals. He twitted the. Radicals with urging a vigorous prosecution of the war while approving the restitution of the independence of the Boers. He hoped the supporters of Lord Rosebery's Chesterfield policy would not do the country the disservice of voting with the Opposition. The war would have long «go been ended if the care of Bo9r women and children had not been undertaken by the Government. Excepting Miss Hobhoase, every visitor to the concentration camps acknowledged the cire and humanity shown. While he would not be deaf to revonable overtures by any responsible authority, he denied that the Boars would bow receive the terms that' General Botha refused in March. | Though the same in spirit the details ■ were open to modification. The creden-' 'iuls. of Boer representatives must be olosely examined. Mr Kruger's entourage had lost the confidence of'the Boers in the field, and it was doubtful who was now able to speak in the name of all the commandos. A solid lasting peace was required, and the foe must recognise they are beaten. Unconditional surrender did not mein extermination. The severities up to the present did not equal precedents in the Canadian rebellion. Nobody had bean shot for treason,* in fact, extremely light punishment had been awarded for treason. No general confiscation of properly was intended, and the people were promised equal rights and privi-< ledges. He did not believe the Boers were permanently alienated. The Government refused to be drawn away by weakness and vacillation and it bad not withdrawn the proclamation of August 7th. A very large measure of amnesty would be granted for military offences, but ordinary crim°s would be punished! Others would suffer by the withdrawal of the franchise. The claims of the colonies who nnbly assisted must be heard in the final settlement and would cert .inly be allowed despite the protests of a sm ill section of the Opposition. Cape Colony was paying £200,000 a month towards the war, which was an enormous contribution, He concluded, "We have confidence in ttao affection and support of the colonics in an unprecedented degree, and mean to keep them." The speech was received with cheers. Mr John Dillon moved nn amendment on Mr Cawley's amendment, denouncing the systematic devastation of Jhe ex-Republics uud the barbarian concentration camps. This was negatived by 283 to 64. Fifty-seven Nationalists and four Radicals were included in the minority. The Times says that so far the Liberal attack has been a sham. The Standard says Sir H. CampbellBan nerman has completely failed to reunite the Opposition. , Financial business precedes reform of i procedure. < / In the House of Commons Viscount • Cranborne, Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, stated that £28,380 com- j pensation was paid for detention and , search of German vessels at South i African ports. I Mr St. John Brodrick said that 2000 1 burghers constituted the Burgher National Scouts, and that they were doing excellent service. Cranborne announced that prior to the Spanish-American war several of the Powers suggested the joint note to the United States. Great Britain ascertained America's wishei and joined in hoping for a peaceful settlement with guarantees acceptable to America. During the war Britain I refused to join in proposals for putting ' pressure on America by offering an , | opinion on America's attitude,

Received 23. 0,30 a.m. I' London, January 22. 1 In the Commons. Mr Balfour sud he was disgusted at the attacks on the! Wat Office, whose adminis'rativn performance "•as unequalled in the history of the Empire. He a't the ( extraordinary of debate to jMr Chambsrlain's epwh knocking 1 [everybody out of time. T*e bantered Sir W, V. Harcnurt, de- ! voting three-fourths of his speenh to proving Sir William was tied to Lord Rcs»beryV chariot-wheels. 1 lUncnnditioral surrender only m°ant I so far as po'itinnl arrangement", involving the incorporation of t.he fx rapuh--I;cp, were concernc l . must ha j surrender of some kind. IVacr: was d'laved becans° Britiin refused the. Bonrß independence Tie appealed <o ♦he OppnsiHon to abstain fro'n parade fights calculated to> ncourare th>■ to prolong the «a»- in tho liope 'hat the Or.vpr ment would hn displaced. Sir H<?r>rv Campbell-Bmnerman si id deviation and political blunder of the concentration camps was an offence apnin«t civilisation—a military mi-t,ake &nd political disaster. ITe urged amorous and magnanimous peace proposal?. Received 23, 1.20 a.m. London, Januarv 22 "Mr Cawley's amerdment was negatived bv an overwhelming majoritv. The Nationalist, a few extreme Radicals, M'ssrs Lbvd George and cbere, a v s t ainftd from vnt.ins The minority included Sir H. Campbell Bannerman, Sir W. Y. Harcmrt. and Messrs John Morlev, Brvce, and Fowler. The Libe-al Imperialists abstained [ from taking port in the debute on the ground that Mr Ch >mVprlM ,, 'fs speech hf* no wide div<r«;ence of principle. Sir Edward Grey, MVs«r-> H=ild re, B. 0. Munro, and others did not v ie, and Mr Asquith was i'J, Sir W, Y, Harcourt in the Jconrpe of a speech said it was impiouß to insist nn an surrender. The Government policy gave no promise of a durable peacp. He denounced the proclamation of martial law and the suspension of the Cape Constitution. The amendment moved by Mr 1 Lloyd Geirge simply affirmed two cona 'radiefcory propositions. Apparently a > s°cMon of his party was captured by s Bannerman, who thus stripped him of 1 all his prircipleß.