MR CHAMBERLAIN AT TYNEMOUTH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12801, 23 October 1903, Page 5

MR CHAMBERLAIN AT TYNEMOUTH.

ANOTHER ENTHUSIASTIC IMEETING. LONDON, October 22. (Received Oct. 22, at 10.55 p.m.) Sir Chamberlain addressed a great meeting at Tynemouth. He denied that the fiscal issue had been sprung on an astonished country, and said: ''I distinctly announced to the Cabiuet that I would resign if preference was not accepted as the .policy of the Government, enabling me to. appeal to Caesar, though not in a spirit of unfriendliness to the Cabinet. If I fail at the first general election I will proceed until I am convinced the colonics will reject the scheme—which is improbable,—or the Jirit.isih are so provincial as to be unable to understand the magnitude and importance of the issue, and of the voluntary offers of preference made atOttawa ami twice in London, but rejected owing to the pedantic ideas of a recently converted Freetrader like Mr Ritchie. I am unable to see bow wo can otherwise retain the colonies' goodwill, which is too precious to ho played with. Opponents allege that I proposed at Glasgow that the colonies should enter into a self-denying ordinance, never under any circumstances to extend the number of their manufactures or conquer new fields of commerce in competition with the 'Motherland. That arose from a misapprehension, and it is intended to make the colonies believe I am blind to their natural conditions and necessities, and that I am prepared to arbitrarily stop their progress in order to secure an advantage to Britain. The colonies know that under no circumstance do I want to interfere with, their commercial freedom, any more than I would liko them to interfere with ours. When we negotiate we shall see how far it is possible to arrange- a (policy mutually advantageous. I believe the colonies prefer to deal with us, and give a. preference sufficient to open new fields of commerce. Now, with £26,000,000 a year, and in a few years probably threefold that, it will be possible to stimulate British emigration in a manner advantageous to the colonies. I think the colonies will bo inclined to frame future tariffs on natural, not on artificial, lines, encouraging the manufactures for which tihey have special facilities and not encouraging manufactures which they could possibly buy cheaper. This policy, combined with prc-fcrence, would leave Britain constantly increasing' her trade and making full amends for any loss in other directions. I am confident the colonies would negotiate in a spirit of generous appreciation, without haggling. If a mandate is given it will he advisable for the Colonial Secretary to proceed to the colonies to negotiate on the spot." Tiie meeting enthusiastically resolved that; the time is opportune for reconsideration of the fiscal policy.