IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7394, 21 February 1902, Page 2

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

SPEECH BY CAMPBELL. BANNERMAN.

Received February 21, 9.1 a.m.

London, February 20. After stormy contentions, the Rosebery and Bannerman sections of the National Liberal Federation at Leicester adopted a colourless compromise recognising the services and claims of both Liberal leaders.

Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman, speaking at Leicester, later defiantly refused to adopt the " clean slate " policy advocated in Lord Rosebery's Chesterfield speech, and avowed himself an impenitent Liberal. He reiterated that national self-government in Ireland with an independent Parliament was never expected by the Irish or contemplated by the Liberals. Australia and Canada were instances that such a policy would not imperil the Empire. The Government policy of an unconditional surrender of the Boers was mischievous and fatal, and designed to annihilate the Boer race. Negotiations oh the basis of conciliation would lay the foundation of future good understanding between the Dutch and British, but the denial of amnesty to rebels and the maintenance of the banishment proclamation were the greatest causes of the prolongation of the war. The speech was greeted with prolonged applause.