IMPERIAL TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12280, 26 May 1903, Page 5

IMPERIAL TRADE.

PREFERENTIAL TARIFFS.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright.

London, May 24. The United Empire Trade League is organising meetings in the provincial centres to discuss the question of preferential tariffs. • (Received May 25, 10.35 p.m.) London, May 25. Ihe Spectator describes Mr. Chamberlain's speech as a gigantic paradox, which is doomed to collapse. It says it is Imperially disruptive, and that neither the Motherland nor the colonies will consent to become tied houses.

(Received May 26, 1.14 a.ra.i London, May 25. Mr. A. B. Law, Unionist member for Blackfriars division of Glasgow, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, speaking at Chester, declared that the British fiscal policy must not be used as a weapon to wrest our trade away. THE SYDNEY PRESS ON MB. CHAMBERLAIN'S POLICY. Sydney, May 25. The Herald says that in view of the prospect of a general election shortly in England it considers Mr. Chamberlain's tacking preferential duties on to an old age pension scheme as a move calculated to win the democratic vote for the Government. It seems largely an electioneering question, and n statesman of Mr. Chamberlain's masterful character having once decided upon a pet theory for the close of his career he is not likely to be long in deciding me means to cany it into effect.

The Daily Telegraph says that nothing more crude than Mr. Chamberlain's fiscal doctrine Las ever fallen from the lips of a statesman; nor is the plea upon which he seeks to get in the thin end of the wedge of Imperial tariff changes any better a device. Providing funds by means of a protective tariff for old age pensions is merely a plan to impoverish people by lifelong charges, and afterwards sustain their declining years by refunding part of the earnings thus filched from them.