THE UNIONISTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8330, 16 January 1913, Page 7

THE UNIONISTS

BONAR LAW’S REPLY TO THE PARTY’S MEMORIAE. By Telegraph—Frees Aseociatioj—Copyright LONDON, January 14. In his reply to the Unionists’ memorial, handed to the Chief Whip of the Unionist party, Mr Bonar Law says: “ Tho memorial asks us to retain the leadership while altering in one very important particular, not indeed the policy of Imperial preference, but the method whereby it can bo most effectively carried out. The modification requested concerning a colonial conferonce does not involve any principle preventing us from loyally supporting the majority’s desires; nevertheless it would have been more agreeable to ourselves and more for the party's interest that tho changed _ method should have been accompanied by a change of leaders. Tho memorial, however, signed by both those desiring modification and those preferring that the method should remain unchanged declares that a change of leadership would bo fatal to tho best interests of the party and the country, and we feel, in yiow of such an expression, that it is our duty to comply with the request, and this wo aro prepared to do.”

FIRST UNIONIST BUDGET.

PROPOSALS TO BE CLEARLY

DEFINED,

LONDON, January 14. Mr F. E. Smith, in his Cricklowood speech, said the first Unionist Budget would enact a general tariff on foreign goods. The people would be told in clearj intelligible language before the election what the proposals would be.

Practically all the Unionist members of the House of Commons, apart from the front benches, signed a memorial affirming their belief in Imperial preference, and their unabated confidence in Mr Bonar Law’s leadership. The best interests of the party, the memorial said, would bo consulted if the question of food duties was removed from the list to be submitted to the electors at the next election. The “Daily Mail" said that Hr Austen Chamberlain’s tact and goodwill removed the risk of a division in the party. Several newspapers represent that the Unionists' memorial expressed the hope that if a Colonial Conference decided to tax food the tax would not be imposed before tbo general election.