POLITICAL GYMNAST.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 10132, 9 June 1924, Page 5

POLITICAL GYMNAST.

LLOYD GEORGE'S VIEW.

ON IMPERIAL PREFERENCE.

CHANGE SINCE LAST ELECTION. (Per Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, June 8. .The "Sunday Times' " political correspondent draws attention to a passage in Mr Lloyd George's speech on Friday when he said he anticipated that within the present lifetime the Dominions' population would be 100,000,000 instead of 16,000,000. He proceeded to emphasise the importance of knitting the Empire by consultation and common action. The correspondent comments that it will not be surprising if Mr Lloyd i George regards the Imperial preference proposals, which will be debated on June 18, ; as entitled to sympathetic •consideration. The story that the Baldwinites precipitated the last election because they discovered Mr Lloyd George was prepared to take a, leaf out of Mr Joseph Chamberlain's book had this much.truth, that during his visit to Canada Mr Lloyd George discussed preference fully with leading men.

IMPERIAL TIES.

A FURTHER PREFERENCE.

TO LAY DOWN PROCEDURE.

LONDON, June 6. Newspapers interpret Mr MacDonaM's statement in the Commons on the Lausanne Treaty as foreshadowing a further conference of the Dominions to lay down future procedure. Mr MacDonald remarked that the Colonial office sends out a weekly cablegram to New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and South Africa, outlining foreign events. t ;.' j ii'Naturally Dominion Ministers begin & express opinions on these events, ; but opinions expressed at the end of long cablegrams are not negotiation. The question arises whether it is possible or necessary to supplement the cables by creating a contact which comes nearer to a share of obligation, and removes misunderstanding.

V. BRITISH ELECTION LIKELY.

"PREPARING FOR THE AUTUMN.

/ LONDON. June 6. The lobbyist.of. the "Daily Express" states that leading Ministers have decided that the Government should go to the country in the autumn, immediately after the midsummer recess, which will be largely devoted to cam-

paigning. The Government will seek an issue on which to fight, pressing forward the elaboration of its unemployment policy and its housing scheme, .in the hope that these will win the electors' confidence. ..

'The liberals are already campaigning and preparing for an autumn election. Conservatives also are planning a campaign under Mr Baldwin.

%'\ PROTECTION EN INDIA.

(Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) ;.;■, : DELHI, June 8. The Assembly passed a Bill providing for protection for the steel industries, and rejected protective duties on agricultural implements. It restored the protective duty on the tinplate industry, which a select committee had omitted.