WITTS WINSTON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 24, 27 January 1906, Page 9

WITTS WINSTON.

Mr Winston Churchill gave the new; Under-Seeretary for the Colonies an airing at the City Liberal Club last night, and under congenial influences waxed exceedingly merry at the expense of the late Ministry and Mr Chamberlain. Ha likened 2lr Baliours Government to a defaulting banking company, -with C.B. as the Official Seceiver. Amid shrieks of laughter he declared that the firm of Balfour, Balfour and Company had stopped payment. Their managing director—a Birmingham man of large views and nnusual versatility—had absconded two years ago, leaving heavy; outstanding liabilities, and he was believed to have since devoted himself mainly to missionary -work. Ever since the business had been going downhill. It was now in liquidation. Ita paper was no longer accepted in the city, and it had been hammered on. 'change. Sir Henry Campbeil-Banner-man presented himself in the capacity of official receiver to secure the rights' of the creditors and safeguard the interests Of the shareholders according to the law of the land. Having mocked at the late Government over its attempts to reform the Army, Mc Churchill proceeded to talk about the new Cabinet, and particularly upon the "'small, humble post" allotted to him. It had, he said., one powerful attraction for him. It would enable him to keep in touch with Mr Chamberlain: in the special subject of his later . activities. Mr Chamberlain might have been the great colonial Minister bis friends declared, but against the services he had rendered there must be set one great disservice which had gone far to C undo his good work and to injure his reputation. He had never hesitated to drag the colonial empire into the vortex of British politics. ,

Mr Churchill proceeded to counsel us not to get into a jumpy, nevrous state about the colonies. The British Empire, said he, would not enter upon a period oi crisis because a Birmingham election campaign was now somewhat overdue. The British Empire would not break into pieces because Mr Chamberlain broke out into poetry. An UnderSecretary -was, as Lord Cecil once remarked, only a stipendiary echo. Well, there was no such thing as an anticipatory echo. They must await upon these definite matters declaration, of " policy from those -whose duty it was to make it. But at any rate, there was no secret about the principles which would, govern the Liberal colonial policy. Fre Trade, self-government, and above all peace—these were the caly methods by which it had been found possible to reconcile the interests of democracy; with the responsibility of oversea «k4 minio 1 ".