RETURN OF MR. GEO. G. STEAD.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12932, 11 October 1907, Page 7

RETURN OF MR. GEO. G. STEAD.

IMPERIAL PREFEEEXHAL TRADE SOCIAL LIFE IX EXGLAXD.

THE ALL-KKI> ROUTE,

(SprCIAL TO "THE TRKSS.")

WELLINGTON, October 10,

j On 3lr Geo. G. stead's arrival from London by tho Arawa this morning, a roportrr of 'Tho Press" sought him out with a view to getting some information from him upon a number ot subjects of general interest. Mr Stead, 'however, stronply protested against la-ing interviewed, an ho considered interviewing was being very much overdone. "Moreover," ho added, "so many peoplo go to Knylaml nowadays that there h very little that is new to be said."' However, later in the day your reporter again saw Mr iSteaU. and prevailed upon him to say a few words for publication.

PHEt'EKEXTI AL TRADE

Thn first vtibj«H-t mentioned was preferential trade within tho Empire. vSo far as Mr >Ste;ul could .judge, there is a. very strong feeling tho mercantile community in Kngland in tuvour of preference, and the few persons ol strong free trade proclivities whom ho met wero mostly l'aili;>.mentary men, who had no practical experienro of wniuicrcc. He was afraid that Mr Chamberlain's active political days v.ero over., but -were ho able to take tim lead iigiin on the other side, Sir Henry Canipbeil-Baiincrman would l>e unlikely to maintain his present position after a general election. "Unquestionably amongst commercial men in J'iuLland,' , added Mr Stead, ''there is a very bitter feeling ag.iinst tho present Ministry and in pariieilar against Mr AYinsiou Churchill. The prevailing opinion is that the present l'rimo Minister i.» unpatriotic, and that his ideas in regard to disarmament, if nut into practice, won Id be suicidal." Tho prevailing feeling was neatly put to Mr Stead by a. leading commercial man. who remarked that tho only loyalists in tho Empire now uro the colonists!

Mr vStcacl war. present in. the Houso of Commons during the debate upon r-'ir Henry Ci.mpbell-Bantverman's motion in regard to tho reformation! of the. Lords, and listened to the whole of the speeches. He was not much impressed with tho Primo Minister's oratory, but considered his opeuh fairly logical, whilo Mr Balfoiir's rpecth. in reply w-a3 c. better effort from the oratorical point of view, but was eamewhat lacking in A few night's later, at a dinner in ono of the London clubs, -Mr estcad had a further opportunity »i hearing Mr Balfour oiv tho samio subject, CtUii although the New Ze<vlander's leanings wero in favour of tho Upper House, ho wii* not greatly impressed with Mr Balfour's defe.ivco of it. It is not surprising, therefore, that ho considers tho present Opposition to be- suffering somewhat generally from Mr Chamberlain's breakdown iii health.

Mr .Stead had the. pleasure of meeting quite a. number of the. members of tho British Parliament not only at luncheons and dinners in Bellamy's, but <;lso at private functions, but ho failed to ascertain that there was in tho nolitical firmaunent any rising star capable of leading tho Opposition to victory at all events for somo time to corao,

THE SOCIAL SIDE,

Speaking generally of the social side. of English life, 3lr fcjtead ventured the opinion that the great majority of people, in England, end especially in London, led artificial lives. Tho wealthy never ecosed in their endeavour to outshine their neighbours, -while their poorer acquaintedices -were for ever 6triving to emulate their richer friends. Ho talked to dozune. and dozens of people who frankly admitted that they did not know how thoir neighbours managed to pay thoir way. People generally seemed more, bent upon pleasure than upon business. In America' »Sodoty seemed in an equally uubM.lt.hy state, but thero nearly everyone's chief aim eee.ni c<l to bo to mako money, and yet there was a difference- in, England. As it had been aptly put in one, of the newspapers, tho moment tho .stockbrokers end merchants finished their day's work they bognii to dismiss amusements—cricket, golf, bridge, and racing,—but when tho American stockbroker had finished tho day's work, his talk was nil about "bulls' , and "bears." ZMr Stead gave two instances illustrative of the. love, of show and parade, thut attracted his atteutioii. One wns in connection with tlte suicide of a. stockbroker in consequence of financial difficulties. Tho first witness at tho iiH|iie,st was tho man's own footman, and the -evidence showed that tho stockbroker knew for months that ho was in difiirultics a::-l unlikely to pull through, yet he must have his footman. The other instance was that cf a horse-dealer who maintained a butler. FurthiTinore, so far a:» he could judjiP. the rush after titles seemed to jrrow stronger every decade. As an instance, Mr Stead pointed to the column headed ''London, Pay by Day" in the "Daily Telegraph." That column r>e<ian generally with some, roforenco to the King and member.'; of tho Hoyal family; then cnino references to perliaps half a dozen dukes and duchesses, and a host of lesser notabilities. Most of these , personages wern not even in London on the d-nv precedin;* publication, and as for "London cli>y !iy day. ,, the column contained scarcely a word about it. FOKEIfrNKKK IX LONDON". Mr Stead is inclined to think that London i.s changing very rapidly in several respects. He wan particularly struck tvifh t'r v influx of foreigner.*. During his last visit he noticed m> many sign boarck with foreign namoj on them that ho was compelled to remark to a friend that if this stute of thing* continued, London in the <•oiir.se r>? time- would not belong t> the Euslish. Of course- the majority ••'.' tho joint utock companies wero English, but thcro was an utiduo prepondenuico of foreign signs on tho aiul warehouses, 'i'he foreijrner was TircoiniiiK Tiiova and tnoro in evidence as tl» veal's rolled on. *]JACIXO. Strad attendwl a fair ntiml)cr of racini: mentinp*. and hi , was more th.in ever impres.se<l with the fact that hoiw raring was iond;ictetl in * muHi 1 witter Wiiy vi the colonies. The oiily iip-tixi-u , . , <iuime and stands he saw wore at Xenbury. Thero tho stand* and "oneral oonveniences were equal t>> aiiytliiny to t>o stH»n in the colonies. On nearly ;iil the other cnureos the <'oiivci!ifii«o ~; x\ ]o puhijc js pcurcely considfrrd l, v t!i» authoritkw. 80 far as he could gather th-rc were, only two <'lass<-« of peorlf* -who went to r;ie« nirptinps in England—tho n:e:i who went to Int. and the women who •went to t-hoiv off their dresses'and themselves. To go to a race meeting tor tho mere pleasure of the eport. as to many did in tho colonies, wns an almost unknown thing in England. Then tho majority of the prizes wore small, except at Ascot and 0110 or two other meetings. The majority of tho race* were for stakes or' only a hundred pounds. Tiie result was that many owners had to endeavour to cover their e-table exiwnses by bettinji. TIIK VANCOUVER 110UTE. QiTOitinnM en thii- subject. Mr Stead .said the Vam-ouvcr mail route

had great possibilities be-fore it, and he earnestly hoped that sufficient subsidies would bo forthcoming from tho countries 'interested to put it on a gocxl footing. There was, ho added, in impression ct Home that tho British Government was pledged to support the .Mi-Red rou£p. New Zealand would derive great benefit from bucJi a service, as there -was n large ami growing imputation between Vancouver and Winnipeg that would be only too glad to get our frozen mutton, -were it available. Of course for this trade moderately large sized steamers would bo necessary- Thero -was a suflieient population -within the rango of Vancouver to consume a moderato sized cargo once a month. In addition ivo fouM wnd butter and othcT pre-ducts that would be welcomed by the. Canadians. The suggestion that tho s«rvi«-o .-.'nonki be a very fast ono i". Mr Stead thinks, scarcely practicable, ns for many years to coino the cn;-t of such a .service -would be ton groat in theio days •when'ull important matieis or' l.!i.«ine.ss are conducted by eaUce. However, Mr Stead says, tin question of a d-iy or two in tin* mr.il MTviees betvren Australasia, and the Moth.".- Country is not of the greatest moment. As t> t!n x two routes—San. Franciv. o i:ncl Vai'.i ouver— N* pointed out that in each en? e< 1h" v<uh-1x c,",1l at Honolulu, and as tho distance thenceto Vancouver :<s only some :SOO miles irre:<tor than to Fraiici.-co, tho difference is re:i!!y lc-is than one day's steflmiurr, and the Canadians nay they can lnnd mniU in Kngland via St. Johns in n day Irss t'l.'Ui they can Jw landed in Pan Franriyco. I'luler circum-tanee-i a large number of tho mi-i-c,Tiitil(\ penpl" i;i I'Jicrhind s-trongly f'iv<ur tho Ai!-Hvd rout: , , ond Mr Stead agree* Iliat they are- right.

THE IMPKRTAI, CONFKKKXCE.

Mr St<;ul .said that so far a> the British Government was concerned, they adopted a policy of m:'..-teriy inactivity in regard tr» the Imperial Conference. Asked as to our Premier's attitude at the Conference, he said tint unijuestioniiiily Sir Jiw-eph Ward rnailo a most favourable impi'i-siou amongst the financial magnates in London, He undoubtedly made hifi mark at the Conference of Premiers.