PREFERENTIAL TRADE

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 272, 14 November 1903, Page 5

PREFERENTIAL TRADE

SPEECH BY SIB EDWABD GBEY

(By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.)

LONDON, November 13.

Mr. Balfour, in a letter, explains that when he mentioned in his Sheflield speech that Great Britain was deprived of freedom to negotiate commercially he referred to the political tradition, which could not, with propriety, be vio lated, excepting at the direct bidding of the electorates.

Mr. Haldane, member for Haddington speaking at a meeting of the Liberal League, at Westminster, said the languishing of certain trades was due to special'methods. Even the great protecting countries were importing more and more manufactures. Hence the bottom was knocked out of Mr. Cham berlain's case. What Avas wanted was better education, improved social conditions for the people, and a. Minister for Commerce. i

(Received 8.31 a.m.)

LONDON, November 13

Sir Edward Grey, speaking at West Bromwich, said that even if Mr Chamberlain carried his pledges so far as tea and sugar were concerned, the consumers having to pay more for bread and meat, must meet a loss of eight olivine millions a year. The increase of colonial tariffs against, foreign afforded no basis on which to unite the Empire. The most specioxis t_,xing cry was retaliation, but foreigners treated us in the same way as they treated each other. "The duties being equal, whom do you want to hit? Why want to hit him? Where will you hit him, and with what? Answer me," he said, "and I will then be able to consider the cause."