BRITISH POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7933, 5 January 1906, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

THE COLONIES AND THE MOTHERLAND. V Received January 4, 7.28 a.m. LONDON, January 3. Mr Chamberlain afterwards addresser! an overflow meeting aud met with considerable interruption, lie i cited the colonies' offer of a reciprocal treaty, ana he arg'ied that the colonies would be able by preference in return for the Motherland's two shilliug tax od foreign corn to mak« arrangements for the transfer to the Motherland of their purhases. Thirty million pounds' worth of manufactures were now drawn from foreign countries, and this would mean fifteen millions ia wages in the Motherland. "Borne declare," added Mr Chamberlain, "that the price of the transfer is too high. I ask how do they know until they have consulted the colonies?" "OUTSIDE THE SPHERE OF PRACTICAL, POLITICS." Received January 4, 7.40 a.m. LONDON, January 3. Mr Wyudham, who was Chief Secrotary for Ireland in the Balfour Administration, in aa election address, said delay in fiscal reform was dangerous, but inevitable unless the electorates pronounced ou the question. He again emphatically declared his unchangeable conviction that Home- Kule, besides being a mischievous principle, by the declared will of Britain was outside the sphere of praotical politics. THE HOME RULE PLEDGE. Received January 4, 9.2 a.m. LONDON, January 3. Freeman's Journal declares that there must be no whittling of the Home Rule pledge. The Nationalists, the Journal asserts, supported Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman because he was a Home Ruler, not because he was a freetrader. A DENIAL. Received January 4, 9.30 a.m. NEW YORK, January 3. President Roooevelt denies that he expressed sympathy with Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman or any British party. v VARIOUS ITEMS. A SEVERE STRUGGLE. THE CITY SEAT. NATIONALISTS CONTINUE INDEPENDENT. Received January 4, 10.13 p.m. LONDON. January 4. There are indicatioas of the struggle, especially in the boroughs, being the severest since 1885, after the suffrage had been granted the counties: but up till the present there are no Unionist candidates for 29 seats. The situation in this respect is opposite to that of 1900 when many Unionists had a walk over. The Liberals have accepted 42 Labourites, the latter will oppose Unionist Liberals in 34 places. The Labour candidates ran with the Liberals in twelve localities returning two members. Tariff Reformers are fighting Free Fooders at Greenwjeh, South Islington, Durham, King's Lynn and Lincoln. There are ten Socialists in the field. Received January 4 10.58 p:m. The Duke of Devonshire, in a letter to Mr F. Schuster, Liberal candidate for the City, says:—"l understand you are opposed to Home Rule but retain a free hand on other questions. It is of the highest importance that Free Traders in the City Phould be enabled to assert their principles at] this election, and 1 have no hesitation in "wishing you success against the supporters of the policy of the Tariff League." The Right Hon. H. Asquifch wrote —"No community in the Kingdom is so vitally interested at so many points in the maintenance of our well-tried fiscal policy." He concluded with a tribute to Mr Sobuster's special qualifications as a high fnanccial authority. Lord Hugh Cecil, speaking at Greenwich, said that Home Rule was the proposal most dangerous to the country's well-being and protection was the next dangerous one. Mr-Michael Davitt, speaking at Birmingham, said that there would be no Redmond-Bannerman compact. The Nationalists woula continue independent of all English parties. "We are fighting for Home Rule and, by the aid of the Labourites, we mean to get it," he said.