MACEDONIAN REFORMS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 58, 27 February 1908, Page 3

MACEDONIAN REFORMS.

HOW 10 PREVENT A CATASTROPHE. EAKL PERCY'S VIEW. 1 ?. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENTS POSITION. Received Feb. 27, 0.5 a.m. Ixradon, February 26.

Earl Percy, Under - Secretary for Foreign Affairs, during a debate in the House of Commons on Macedonia. •]-■- clard that he was in no wise satisfied that the Munstey programme, which was the outcome of ft conference between the Czar and the Emperor Francis at that place, had failed. Karl Grey said that so far the railways favored trade. They had our goodwill. He trusted that the Bizar scheme would not lead to difficulties within the concert. Great Britain was prepared to relinquish her gendarmes scheme if i better could be suggested. He was certain that if the concert were determined, the question could lie settled by a Turkish Governor of capacity and character known to the Powers and irremovable for a term of years. Such a man should lie given a free hand in order to secure effective administration. Tf the appointment was accompanied by a reduction of Turkish troops a collective guarantee should be given that Turkey's dominions should not lie interfered with from outside. The •langer was not that the Powers were likely to quarrel, hut that the conceit •would perish through lick of vilili'y and the failure to stop the condition of affairs in Macedonia. If neglected, the condition might precipitate a catastrophe. This was preventable liv the unitv and determination of the European concert. The Briti-b Government would continue he said, to do its ill- i mo-t to secure thi« result.