IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14685, 19 November 1909, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

QUESTION OF TARIFF REFORM,

MR UALFOUR'S SPEECH.

Piess Association— Uy Telegraph— Copyright

LONDON, November 18,

(Received Nov 18, at 10.55 p.m.) Mr Balfour received a tremendous ovation in tlv. Freotvado Hall at Manchester. Among what he described as the insistent issues in the present crisis ho gave, amid cheers, first place to tariff reform.

"I am fold," Ve said, "that"the feelm'S ia Lancashire in favour of tariff reform is more lukewarm and less ardent than is certainly found in other great industrial centres. lam also told that some of the Unionists fcaicc' that a fiscal change would increase the cost of living to the working men and throw the burden upon the industries wherein they are engaged, and react unfavourably as a whole on the cotton industry. I do not believe n word of that.-fCheers.) Of course, anything diminishing the prosperity of the wort illg masses would affect not merely them— and they arc t-h-e most important element in the cnuntry.-but »ill others. I should never have adhered to any fiscal change of importance which was calculated to or which could increase the workers' ordinary cost <>f living, I am also told that Lancashire is struggling f or an existence in the Jieulral markets, and that she will no longer bo able, to hold her own if any form of import duty and balancing import duty k imposed. I am told, despite Lancashire's prestige for knowledge, education, and bed- machinery, that "because she is less happily circumstanced other countries will gain upon us, and that tho •mposition of import duties required for revenue purposes is going to destroy our trade, but we mo less happily circunistanccd rivals, w.itb far "greater duties im|ii«<l upon them, successfully competing 111 the same markets as we once held."

(Ktcoived Nov. 18, at 11.40 p.m.) Continuing, Mr Balfour paid that Germany was gaining ground in tho markets (if Central Europe in the matter of th« eottim iirlushy. This was partly owing to her proximity, but largely to her effective treaties. Ho proceeded to prophesy that. Lancashire could gain in two ways— (il'.-tl\, by a commercial treaty making for the power which ligoal reform alone could ;rive, and, secondly, by colonial preference. He next picture.] tlio enormous potentialities of the preference offered by the colonies. Ifo urged (ho Freetrader's to remember how Germany, which, waa formerly subdivided into' States with different tariff systems, had gained through economic unification and effective, commercial treaties, and to consider the wisdom of doing their utmost to extend Britain's economic bounds, to briii" the dominions into freer economic relations; and to preserve some of the greatest and best markets whereon Britain had got to depend. _ n THE liUDRET~BATriiE. » LORD LAySDOWNE'S AMENDMEXT. COXFKRir.VCK OF CONSERVATIVES. LONDON, November 18. (Received Nov. 18, at 9 p.m ) The National Union .of Conservative Constitutional Associations' Conference at Manchester emphatically approved of (ho I mils of Lord Lansdownc's amendment' i<> the Budget, and thanked Lord Laiisdownc f '»i' his ciiiispicumis act of statesmanship enabling tin; House of Lords to show its confidence in the wisdom and judgment of lb? people.

The Earl of Derby was elected presi dent.

The conference unanimously adopted 51 r Chaplin's Ti's-olulion that, in view of the jirowin.j unemployment, tariff reform should no longer he delayed. Mr Chaplin remarked that the' enemy would doubtless concentrate its attack on the question of food taxes. The way to meet the attack must he by a fnm! ; avowal that if duties were imposed on manufactured imports (hey must have seme taxes, however small, on imported food. That was essential for the |x>licy of colonial preference, and equally essential in justice to British agriculture. They must nest readjust the existing taxes to prevent tho augmentation oi the proportion of taxes lwriie by the workers.

Karl Derby declared that tno party was united -on the general principles of fisca' reform.

PUKSS OPINIONS. LONDON, November 17. Th? Times says that, a duster :,t Lard* do not ink the coimtry, but they can prevent arbitrary ruling by another duster. The principal function of the Lords is to give the nation freedom to decide the country's destiny. The comments of oth;r newspaper* „re on purely party lilies. MR CHURCHILL TAKEN TO TASK. LONDON, November 17. The Daily Mail (0) comments on Mr Winston Churchill's characteristic precipitation in anticipating Mr Asquitli with a portentious manifest:).