Press Opinions.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8804, 4 May 1907, Page 2

Press Opinions.

The Times says that Mr Asquith's statement was depressing. The colonial Premiers' statements were full of hope and constructive imagination, and suggest that they will.fight in the future in the determination to mould it to their ends, which contemplate progress, and that we in the Empire should be united by increasing ties. Mr Asqnith, in reply, ■ was only able to offer on essential points a rigid adherence to the old position. It is true he promises attention to commnncations from the economic standpoint. This subject is, however, small, and from the political standpoint becomes far smaller when compared with preference. He pleads that his hands aro tied. Arc tiey tied against anything except a protectionist tariff, for example, preference based on a corn duty? Has tho electorate ever denied or affirmed the principle of preference? Mr Asqnith's attittide is the attitude of extreme fiscal puritanism, not to say pudency. The Daily News says that Messrs Asqnith and Mackay's case was unanswerable. The people of the Motherland are determined that thoir prime necessities shall never again be taxed, a verdict from whence there is no appeal. The Standard challenges the Government to submit the question of reciprocal preference to a referendum. Leaders of the Imperial element in the nation must now show colonial Premiers that their message is not in vain. -

The Daily Chronicle emphasises and the Morning Post admits that regarding the domain of trade and communications the' results of -the Conference have not been negative. The Morning Post, however, contends that on the inaiu question the voice of India is only the voice of a Department of the British Government, which is wflministering the country, and adds, tested by value per head the Australian market is incomparably i more valuable to Britain than the German. ■

According to the Daily Telegraph the Motherland stands alone in desiring less than in 1902. Sydney, May 4.

The Herald, after reviewing the position Mr Deakin arid his party obtained at the elections, remarks that for such a Minister to claim he has a mandate from Australia to offer preference on his own terms, is a course of political conduct which we can hardly define in Parliamentary language. His astonishing colleague, Sir W. Lyne, nearly equals in effrontery the Prime Minister when he invites the Imperial Government to mtsitr&e a referendum on the sub-