DEFENCE AND PREFERENTIAL TRADE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue XXXIX, 14 December 1904, Page 2

DEFENCE AND PREFERENTIAL TRADE.

THE PROPOSED 'CONFERENCE. SPEECHES B7 MINISTERS. iKac. Dec. 14, 8. 15 a.m ) LONDON. Yesterday. Mr Chamberlain, in reply iq iho editor of the "Pall Mtt) { '' regarding Impurtal defence and the Colonial Conference, welcomes Mr lialfour s Conference proposals, adding: that tire Conference should be absolutely free to discuss anv c.ue^ tion of mutual interest Mr Arnold-Porster, Secretary of Mate lor. War-, speaking- at Newcastle quoted Lord lan Hami.Ws reeont Iptlov regarding. British effir' C mi; V '^ ln the P oor wal> > and said : )Vh,& j wa,,. 3,as (burnt .iutofiju* mmd the cqnditioa of our arn.v and the terrible danger to the existence of t^ Empire. tV*e Irarnt &wU^dV'° thhl|r bUt tfe W Mr Austen CBambeplain, Chance*at Sparkhill. <iwelt on the falling! revenue and th e loss^lns rf i pcrity. and nvgod t^at although ft I w^s essonfial ta mafntahi normal ' aHiGionpy, th.o country should check expenditure and restrict bor- *• ■ ■

rowing. He welcomed an open conference as an opportunity of endeavouring to understand a mutual standpoint. He said the Motherland must not attempt to impose om the colonies views of , what was best for the common Lord Avebury (Sir John Lu<bbock), at the Cobdon. Club, lectured on British commerce, which he said ■, was progressive and prosperous, but i he held that even if it were not so, " it would Ix? disastrous to aibandon ' free trade. Parliament has been prorogued till January 17th. Lord James, of Hereford, says that Mr BaUour's remarks about Imperial defence are nefeuiovs, h^ holds that a practical business scheme of Imperial defence ought to be submitted to the Motherland in conjunction with mutual trade, and that it would be hard to arrange so complex a problem.