FISCAL REFORM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 116, 20 May 1904, Page 3

FISCAL REFORM.

MOTIO NS IN THE HOUSE OP COMMONS. Mr •» LONDON, May 18. I™. • Black, Liberal niemIr i"i . will move the jllowmg to-night "That this flouse. believing a protective taxatiflO on food wouM be burdensome to the people and injurious to the Baipire, welcome? the Ministerial docaaration that the Government is opposed to such taxation." Unionist Free Fooders, including 30 members of the House, have : agreed to support Mr Black s motion in preference to the following amendment, notice of which has .fteen given by Mr Chamberlain • That this House, noting Mr Bal- ' lour s opinion favouring a change in the fiscal policy, and his declaration that the change cannot be -advantageously undertaken in the present Parliament, expresses confidence in the Government." Owing to the number of Government supporters who have gone abroad for their Whitsuntide holidaysand the action of the UnionC® 6 Fooder s. the Government unable t0 r ely on securing an adequate majority. Mr Balfour will therefore a prior amendmeirt to the following effect "That tha s f uss fiscal reforms and Mr Balfour s Sheffield declarations, regarding "which the Government has announced that no proposals will be submitted to the present Par"Uncut and expresses continued con.ftteoc© in the Government, and desires to proceed with the business proposed in the King's speech." It is hoped thus to induce Unionist Free Foodera to come with the Government or to abstain altogether from taking -part in the discussion.

The Times states that Mr Black's amendment is simply an Opposition trap, ingeniously planned, but which will nevertheless probably prove a greater fiasco than its predecessors. MR BLACK'S MOTION DEFEATED (Received May 20, 1.9 a.m.) LONDON, May 19. Mr. Black's motion was negatived by. 306 votes to 261. WOMEN'S FREETRADE UNION. . , LONDON, May 18. The annual meeting of the' Women's Free Trade Union was held at Devonshire House, the Duke of Devonshire presiding. Tlie Duke regretted the difficulty experienced in forming one league of men of all political opinions in support of free trade. The Right Hon. 11. Asquith (Liberal) said Mr Chamberlain's bomb •had proved a singularly effective engine of disruption. It bad brok'eß ,• the Cabinet and divided the party. The protectionist campaign had proved a complete and acknow- : ledged failure.

* Lord Hugh Cecil (Conservative) declared that Mr Chamberlain's reluctance to face Parliament was the best augury that free trade must succeed. We must not," said Lord Hugh, ** permit the Empire to be used as a mere stage property in the squalid melodrama of protection." THE LIBERAL UNIONIST PARTY (Received Mav 20, 1.9 a.m.) LONDON, May 19. A largely attended meeting of the Liberal Unionist Central Council adopted, with a few dissentients, Mr Chamberlain's proposals to reconstruct the council on the basis of fuller popular representation of the party, thus enabling it to express its opinions on all questions of policy and current legislation. The Duke of Devonshire and Mr Chamberlain spoke at length, without bitterness. While declining any responsible position in the reconstituted association the Duke of Devonshire declared that if Home Rule became again a bunting , question he would place himself entirely at the disposal of the Liberal-Unionist party. He warned the association that there was nothing now to prevent its becoming an active agency in support of fiscal reform. Mr Chamberlain warmly referred to the Duke of Devonshire's great services as president.