PREPARED FOR DEFEAT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5737, 4 November 1905, Page 5

PREPARED FOR DEFEAT.

Tin-: HOPE OF THE BALFOUR GOVERNMENT. (Received November 3, 10.2 p.m.). LONDON, November 3. Lord Londonderry, speaking at Sunderland, said the Government was prepared for defeat at the general election if Unionists sank fiscal differences, but would be sufficiently strong as a minority to re-strain a Liberal Government from carrying out Socialistic and Radical scheme®. PREFERENTIAL TRADE. TAXATION ON CORN. (Received November 3. 10.42 p.m.) LONDON, November 3. Air Austen Chamberlain, Chancellor of the Exchequer, speaking at Stirchley, declared that neither Mr Balfour nor tlie Government wished to place tho fiscal question in a secondary place at the elections, for they regarded it as the greatest issue to bo submitted. Personally, be could conceive of very considerable preference being given to the colonies on wines, spirits, meat, dairy produce, market garden produce, and other articles than corn : but ho valued closer union so highly that bo was willing to give even a small tax on corn. A CANADIAN MANIFESTO. OTTAWA, November 3. A manifesto signed by over 1500 trade unionists, including officials, in favour of Air Chamberlain's suggested tariff reforms has been sent to the president of tho Dominion Trades and Labour Congress.