BRITISH POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7973, 26 February 1906, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

DEBATE ON THE FISCAL

QUESTION.

LONDON, February 23.

In the House of Lords the Duke of Devonshire raised a debate on the fiscal question. The Duke declared that the recent correspondence between Messrs Balfour and Chamberlain showed a great advanoe, and Unionists were entitled to know what had brought about the agreement. Personally he must decline responsibility for the polioy embodied in that correspondence.

The Marquis of Lansdowne, exForeign Seoretary, said that our trade was losing ground both at home and abroad, and our manufacturers were transferring their abroad. The Government must fight for fair treatment, and if it was refused must give a respectful hearing to those colonies who it desired to draw closer to the Mother Country. Viscount (Joschen urged the cessation of the tariff reform propaganda, and appealed to the Government to examine Sir Henry Camp-beli-Bannerman's allegation that twelve or thirteen million people were on the verge of starvation. Then Ministers might enquire if a change cf tariff would improve the condition of this vast multitude.

The Earl of Crewe, Lord President of the Council, while not saying that all was well denied that the condition of trade waa unsatisfactory.

THE BALFOUR'S LETTER.

THE DUKE OP DEVONSHIRE'S

ALL THE "IFS" ELIMINATED

Received February 25, 4.45 p.m

LONDON, February 24

In the course of the fiscal debate, in the Houbo of Lords, the Duke of Devonshire did not quite understand the qualifications set foith in Mr Balfour's letter to Mr, Chamberlain on the fourteenth instant. The Earl of Lansdowne resented the Duke of Devonshire's unfairness.

Mr Balfour, in his oanvass of the City electorate, obm plained of the Duke of Devonshire's version of hiß letter. He declared that the Duke's version showed that he had neiher common-sense. logic nor grammar. The Duke had most unjustly eliminated all the "ifs."

THG TRANSVAAL.

CHINESE LABOUR QUESTION.

LONDON, February 23,

Speaking on Mr Forster'a amendment, Mr George Wyndham, formerly Chief Secretary for Ireland, declared that if the allegations regarding slavery in the Transvaal were true, Mr Winston CharohiU's unheroio, half-hearted palliatives were wholly insuffloient. The Government wap courting disaster in South Africa. Mr Marcham said it was impossible to work the mines with white labour, even if wages were reduced 50 per cent.

"ONLY TAINTED WITH

SLAVERY."

GOVERNMENT INTEND 10 TERMINATE THE SYSTEM.

Received February 25, 4.27 p.m. LONDON, February 24.

In the House of Commons, Sir Henry Oampbell-Bannerman, replying to Earl Percy, said: "I only said Chinese labour was tainted with Blavery, and that it has many of the characteristics of slavery—that I repeat. During the debate on Mr Foster's amendment, the Right Hon. H. H. Asquitfa, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said the Government intended to terminate the system, but they Were unable to forthwith sponge out everything. He never said that the Chinese must be deported wholesale. It was intended to warn the Transvaal that any legislation corresponding with the existing ordnance and inconsistent with the best British traditions would be vetoed.

Mr J. Chamberlain declared that the Government would allow the alleged slavery to 'peter out,' giving freedom on the instalment system. He said be was informed that the Government had consulted the mining magnates in regard to their plans before they were submitted to Parliament." Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman denied the charge, but Mr Chamberlain reiterated the statement, adding that the magnates were contented. 'J!he oharges concluded by, demanding a judicial inquiry into the system.

The Daily Mail, states that the Labourites refused'to vote with the Government until they were promised that there should be no reindentures of Chinese. The .Labourites deolare that thousands of British workmen are available as miners ou the Rand at £1 per day.

MR BALFOUR CRITICISES THE GOVERNMENT.

Raoeived February 25, 4.45 p.m. LONDON, Februasry 24.

The Government would calm down, said Mr Balfour in his canvass of the City electorate, on the Chinese question, and it now declared in Mr Winston Churchill's words "that to describe the system as slavery was terminological and an inexactitude." Mr Balfour added that the Government's statement could ■be better expressed in a word of three letters.

CABLE NEWS.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.