UNIONIST LEADERSHIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14835, 11 November 1911, Page 7

UNIONIST LEADERSHIP.

LAW'S "THIRD MAN" CHANCE. THE FISCAL REFERENDUM. CHAMBERLAIN REPUDIATES. By Telegraph.Press Association.— Copyright. ■ (Received November 10, 11 p.m.) London, November 10. The Times states that there is much lobbying in connection with the succession to the Unionist leadership. The idea is gathering force that in the event of the supporters of Mr. Austen Chamberlain and Mr. Walter Long being evenly divided, Mr. A. Bonar Law will be elected. The newspapers comment on Mr. Austen Chamberlain's statement at the tariff reform banquet, that if the Conservatives secured a majority, tariff reform would be put into operation without a referendum, thus putting aside Mr. Balfour's pledge. Having been challenged by the Liberals to say that ho would refer tariff reform to a referendum, Mr. Balfour, speaking at the Albert Hall on November 29 last, said: —" 1 frankly say that without question tariff reform is ft great change. I admit that this election, or any election perhapscertainly this election—cannot be described as taken upon tariff reform simply, and I have not the least objection to submit the principles of tariff reform to a referendum."

OLD PILOT'S PARTSNG WORDS. NO PETRIFIED INTELLECT. London, November 9. In his speech, announcing his resignation, Mr. Balfour said that personally he desired to leave a position of heavy responsibility before he suffered that most insidious of all diseases, - intellectual petrifaction, which made a veteran less able to deal with new problems with freshness and elasticity than a younger man. He was vain enough to hope that he had not yet reached that stage, but- it would be miserable to run the margin fine. He hoped still to have ears of activity to devote, not only to the party, but to the country. Such services, however, would not impose the present strain. No one, he added, should take a gloomy view of party prospects. Wo are," he said, " 011 the upward grade. Critics and grumblers are like microbes. When strength is recovered the microbe resumes its proper place, and becomes comparatively innocuous. The Government has lived on electoral bribes for six years, and is now lapsing into the old radical practice of destroying institutions and gerry-mandering. There arc signs of tho steadily growing disgust of the better classes of the population. This is an inestimable advantage to my successor."

The meeting received in regretful silence the announcement of Mr. Balfour's resignation, and afterwards a resolution of satisfaction at his continuing his membership for the City of London was carried MR. ASQUITH'S TRIBUTE. ("Received November 10, 10 p.m.) London, November 10. 11 By universal consent the most distinguished member of the greatest deliberative Assembly in the world." In these words the Prime Minister paid his tribute to Mr. Balfour in his speech at the Guildhall.