"A SAFE CHART."

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9796, 16 July 1903, Page 4

"A SAFE CHART."

« MR SEDDON ON TARIFF REFORM. A REPROOF TO ENGLISH POLITICIANS. In reply to a. cable message for his views on Mr Chamberlain's tariff proposals, Mr Seddon, Premier of New Zealand, forwarded the following message to the London Express : — "The actions, protests, and alarms of those nations who have closed their markets to us and who are now actively invading and waging war on British trade are a sufficient proof that the matters indicated m Mr Chamberlain's and the British Premier's speeches require immediate attention. "New Zealand is acting on the same lines and supports Canada. Germany's attitude is a blessing m disguise. 'The high wages and improved position of the working classes, the profitable investments of capital, and the extraordinary increase of industry, trade, and commerce prove that countries can flourish that, do not exist under the socalled misnamed freetrade conditions of Great Britain (see Lord Salisbury's speech m South London reported m the Times November 5, 1885). "I endorse entirely these views on preferential trade, which is a safe chart, and will strengthen the Mother Country and her colonies, draw them closer together, and bring other nations into line who have raistd barriers and closed their markets against Great Britain ana her colonies." Mr Seddon has sent the following cable message to the editor of the British Australasian: — "The people of New Zealand cannot understand the overtures for a preferential tariff being made a party question m the Mother Country. They, at least, expected inquiry, and the bitter hostility shown by certain statesmen is considered unreasonable. 'They feel satisfied that a modification [ of the existing conditions would not injure British trade with foreign nations, while it would, at the same time, increase and stimulate British trade with the oversea dominions of the Crown. "The rebuff and cold shoulder given to Mr Chamberlain's proposals m certain quarters leads to the inference that an uncertain trade done with small profits with alien nations is preferred to a continued commercial connection between the Home Country and the colonies. "The dismemberment of ths Empire seems to be regarded with satisfaction by those from wlioift better things and greater consideration might have been expected. "The attitude assumed, by a number of English statesmen will hamper the New Zealand Government m carrying their preferential trade proposals through the local Parliament."

Statuettes of society ladies m reclining posture are the latest art fashion. The Duchess of Murlborough has had one executed showing her reclining on a sofa m a clinging Empire dress. A Wellington bu.sine.ss man who is m close touch with Australia, states that some large operators m the frozen rabbit trade have lately been visiting Australia, and have since come to New Zealand with a view to procuring business m this colony. In his speech on the Address-in-Reply, Ml* Thos. Mackenzie^ was very severe on the method of conducting Government co-operative works. Some of the men sent to the co-operative works m Otago were a disgrace to any civilised communitVj he said. Their orgies on Sundays were such that the wives of respectable workers dare not "go near the encampments. He could prove that absolutely from the records of the Courts and the newspaper publications. Some of the men emploj-ed were absolute scoundrels, who had robbed everybody they could. A widow who kept a store m Central Otago was almost ruined by some of these scoundrels, who went away without paying hei 1 for the goods they got from her. Reform m this matter was imperative. (Opposition "Hear, hear.") If the Government would only allow their officers to disclose what they knew, there would be revealed such a state of extravagance as would astonish the people of the colony, and even the Government itself. (Efear^ hear.) The works were costing one-third more than they should cost, and the people who had to use these railways would have to pay lor that for all time.