FISCAL UNITY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 155, 4 July 1903, Page 3

FISCAL UNITY.

m puss association. London, July 2. Mr Raccimin, M.P., ia a fct er to

the chirman of the North of Eoglwd Steamsh'p Owners Association, recom-' meads them to inquire into tbe <ff ct of the prop*ed fiscal changes on tramp shipping, which represents an investment tf £120,000,000 of genuine uiwatsnd capital and six-sevenths of the total British steamers. He etnphieizMj that the change is likely to incraas* the, costof shipbuilding, instancing America, where tha difference of 30 p a r cent, in tbe ooat of steamers as compared with England killed American tramp shippi"*. Mr Balfour, replying to question?, ■aid he was unable to say when the inquiry would be completed, but he was [ able to assure the questioner* that there { was no probability of any dislocation of i trade. j Mr Arquith, in moving the resolu-1 at the meeting of the National i liberal Federation affirming that Mr ; Obamberl lin's tcheme would endang>r' Britain's rela'.iona with fha colonies and threaten tbe Emp : re's stability, protested against the us* of that rusty blundarbus, retaliation. He urged his Oouotrjm >n to ohoosa weapons of precision which science bad formed, which the British, equally with the Germans^' Were able to handle, and which were | truly arms of quick fire and long range j for a modern industrial campa'go. What the colonies failed to purchase in Britain probably consisted of commodities, which the Motherland was unable to supply. Preference wculd excite mutuU jealousies among the colonies, and lead to taking all raw materials ooming to England. Mr Dilleo, in moving a resolution calling on the Government to declare . its fiscal p >ltcy, said that a Government without a fiscal policy was unfit to remain inoffice fiveminutes. The resolution was adopted. Beoetod 3,10.13 p.m. Losoox, July 3. Sir S. Hicks-Beach has been elected chairman of the Unionist Freetraders' Committee. The Chamber of Burnley by 47 to 23 carried a resolution against a fiscal change,