BRITISH POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9041, 6 March 1908, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

CABLE NEWS.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.

A BY-ELECTION.

Received March 5, 8.25 a.m. LONDON March 4

The by-election for Hastings, owing to the resignation of Mr William Harvey Du Cros, resulted: —

Mr Arthur Du Cros, Unionist 4,495 MrR. Vernon Harcourt, Liberal 3,477 Mr Du Cros is a sun of the retiring member. He attributes his victory to his attitude on the question of tariff reform, particualrly colonial preference.

At the general election, Mr W. H. Du Cros (Conservative), 4,348, defeated Mr F. Freeman Thomas (Liberal), 3,935.

MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT. EMPLOYMENT OF CHINESE. Received March 5, 11.5 p.m. LONDON, March 5. In the House- of Commons, Mr C. Fenwiek, Liberal and Labour member for Northumberland, Wansbeck Division, moved the appointment of a Select Committee to enquire whether the Merchant Shipping Act is sufficient to enable the Board of Trade to prevent abuses arising out of the employment of Chinese in the British Mercantile Marine.

Mr H. E. Kearly, Liberal member for Devonport, and Secretary of the Board of Trade, admitted that the employment of Chinese had increased the number of Marine superintendents, and he believed that the recent legislation was likely to accelerate that tendency. The Board of Trade would nip in the bud abuses threatening to defeat the objects of the Act.

The motion was then withdrawn