BRITISH POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8386, 22 March 1907, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

HOME RULE. Received March 21, 8.6 a.m. LONDON, March 20. The Duke of Devonshire, Leader of the Unionist Party, addressing the Unionist Freetrade Club, said that in view of the grave constitutional questions impending, he deplored the increasing recklessness and anarchy in the ranks of the Unionists. Their duty to unite was clear, considering that the indirect attack •on the legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was as dangerous as, or more dangerous than, a direct attack. COLONIES AND PREFERENCE. Received March 21, 8.6 a.m. LONDON, March 20. The Duke of Devonshire, addressing the Unionist Freetrade Club, said the Imperial Conference was safer in the hands of the Liberals than in the hands of the Unionists, as the colonials could appreciate a clearly expressed policy, and there livould be no chance of misunderstanding, as there might have been if, after a three years' agitation for tariff reform, the colonials found they had been summoned Home simply to negotiate on the basis of existing duties, in which case they •would have thought they had been brought here on a fool's errand. in ■ 1" IMIGRATION LAWS. COLONIAL RESTRICTIONS ON INDIANS. Received March 21, 9 am. LONDON, March 20. In the House of Lords, Lord Ampthill, who was Acting-Viceroy of India in 1904, asked whether the Imperial Conference would discuss the question of the disabilities of British Indian subjects in, and their future treatment by, the selfgoverning colonies. Lord Elgin, Secretary of State for the Colonies, said that while it was the Government's duty to show that they were the national protectors, yet they were bound to consider the self-governing colonies, and not to inflame the. present strong feeling. Nevertheless, he hoped the subject would be discussed, at any rate at a subordinate conference. Lord Lansdowne (Conservative Leader) considered that the question was most difficult, owing to the two conflicting currents of opinion. . He hoped, that care would be taken to secure the proper treatment of our Indian subjects, and to prevent their humiliation or their being deprived of their rights. He added that for some reasons it was better that the subject should not be officially presented for the consideration of the conference. '.. NEW CALEDONIA. Received March 21, 9.55 p.m., : LONDON, March 21. In the House of Commons, Mr W. Runciman, M.P. for Dewsbury, in- * formed Sir Howard Vincent, M.P. for Sheffield Central, that France has received the representations regarding New Caledonia in a most friendly spirit, verbally stating that it was not intended at present to renew,the system of sending convicts thither.