BRITISH POLITICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19010, 5 November 1923, Page 7

BRITISH POLITICS

ELECTION EXPECTED IN JANUARY. LABOUR GAINS IN BOROUGHS. Praia Association —By Telegraph— Copyright A LIBERAL PREDICTION. , ( LONDON, November 2. Mr C. A. M’Curdy, at a conference of National Liberals, expressed the opinion that a general election will bo held not later than January.—A. and N.Z. Cable. CONSERVATIVE ORGANISERS ACTIVE. THE GOVERNMENT’S INTENTIONS. » LONDON, November 2. The Daily Chronicle’s political correspondent states that there is much activity among Conservative organisers in preparation for the election in January, although the Prime Minister’s party has not yet fixed the date. Following Board of Trade inquiries, the Government intends to propose the inclusion of more trades under the Safeguarding of Industries Act, including the manufacture of hats, brushes, lace, silk, rubber, and tyres, the object being to test the leeling of Parliament whether this is a breach of Mr Bonar Law’s pledge. The Imperial preference proposals are being worked out, and will be submitted to the dominion Prime Ministers. They will not be dealt with at this conference, but will form an issue at the election. Conservative quarters state that the proposals will include a tariff on raw materials as well as on manufactured goods, but will avoid import duties on food.—A. and N.Z. Cable. LONDON, November 2. Polling is proceeding in 300 boroughs in England and Wales. The results so far announced show that the Conservatives have lost 17 seats and the Liberals 24, and that Labour has gained 28 seats.—A. and N.Z. Cable. MR BALDWIN AT MANCHESTER. SUBSTANTIAL PREFERENCE PROPOSED. LONDON, November 2. Mr Baldwin, in his speech at Manchester, declared the Government’s intention of taxing those imported manufactured articles which were causing the most unemployment in Britain. It was proposed to give substantial preference to the dominions without taxing wheat or meat. —A. and N.Z. Cable. A GREAT RECEPTION. PRIME MINISTER’S ELOQUENT SPEECH. LONDON, November 3. (Received Nov. 4, at 5.5 p.m.) The Daily Telegraph says that Mr Baldwin’s reception in Manchester was of the warmest. Loud cheers greeted his declaration that “the time will come when this country must look to itself.” Naturally, the Prime Minister had to devote a considerable part of his speech to cotton. He aroused enthusiasm by declaring that he “would not be satisfied until we so developed the Empire that we were absolutelv independent of America for cotton.” Similarly, he pictured a future when Britain would be independent of any foreign country for sugar and tobacco, saying : “This would help us in paying our debt.” At the close of his speech Mr Baldwin summed up his policy briefly in words that had been carefully chosen and written on a single sheet of notepaper. Prolonged cheering was evoked by the pronouncement that it was proposed to tax imported manufactured goods, with special regard to imports which caused the greatest unemployment. The Prime Alinister spoke with more vigour than he usually employs on the platform, and gave a better impression of his oratorical powers.—A. and N.Z. Cable. MR BALDWIN’S POLICY. HIS PROTECTIONIST VIEWS EXPLAINED. LONDON, November 3. (Received Nov. 5, at 0.45 a.m.) Mr Baldwin, at Manchester, in developing his protectionist policy, said his ideal was one great Empire with free trade within its borders and every part regarding itself as one home. They could reach that ideal by binding the Empire together Oy an economic rally. If they did not do so, the law' of economic gravitation must draw them into a more powerful economic orbit. By establishing preference throughout the Empire they were doing nettling against the principles of free trade over a greater- area. Be proposed to put a tax on manufactured goods, with special regard to those imports that caused the greatest amount of unemployment, to give substantial preference to the dominions, to put no tax on wheat or meat, to investigate the best way to help agriculture and to maintain the nations’ tillage, to coordinate existing schemes of insurance, to develop our own estate, our Empire. It was an integral part of his policy to devote a portion of the new revenue to pushing; ahead development as never before. No one could say how long it would be before the economic conditions of Europe became stable, and the time had come for Britain to rely on herself. Incidentally, ho declared he would not lie satisfied until we, so .developed the Empire as to be absolutely independent of America in regard to cotton-growing. He concluded by intimating that the country must decide after the opposing policies had been explained to the public.—Reuter. WHEAT AND MEAT DUTIES. OVERSEAS DELEGATES AGAINST REMOVAL. LONDON. November 4. (Received Nov. 5, at 0.20 a.m ) Mr Bruce and Mr Massey were disinclined to comment on Mr Baldwin’s statement respecting the removal of duties on wheat and meat, but the Australian Press Association understands that the views of the overseas delegation are not favourable. It is pointed out that Mr Baldwin in no sense has pledged the Government beyond the present Parliament, tUough his pronouncements indicated a progressive British policy, which, provided the electorate sanctioned it, would result in an extension of his policy of preference for dominions’ products. This would ultimately mean that substantial consideration would be given to Australian foodstuffs imported into Great Britain.—A. and N.Z. Cable.