THE STRUGGLE AT THE POLLS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 298, 26 January 1910, Page 5

THE STRUGGLE AT THE POLLS

LIBERALS MAKING OP GROUND CLEAVAGE BETt'/EEN RURAL AND INDUSTRIAL BRItAIN A PROBLEM OF STATESMANSHIP SUMMARISED RESULTS TO DATE: Unionist Gains 102 Liberal Gains 15 Labor Gains 3 Representation Unchanged ' .... 366 STRENGTH OF THE PARTIES: Unionists 220 Liberals .... ig^ Labor 32 Nationalists 67 Total Elected 514 Re maining Seats 156 Total Seats 670 By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright

London, January 24. The following further results are announced: — ROMFORD. . Sir J. H. Bethell (L) .. 23.181 Williamson (U) .. .. 21,334 1900—Bethell (L) 21.534, Sinclair ■(C) 12,079. CREWE. J. Tomkinson (L) .. .. 7701 Harrington (I") .. .. 5409 Kose (Lab) 13S0 1900 —Tomkinson 7805, Welsford (C) 5297. DUMFRIES DISTRICT. J. W. Gullaml (L) .. .. 2303 Duncan (U) 1730 190G —l*ulland 2035, Giover (C) 1402. SOMERSET (North). King (L) 6508 Beauchainp (U) .. .. 570S 1906—Hope (L) 6020, Mason (C) 4350. CARNARVON DISTRICT. D. Llovd-George (L) .. 3183 Vincent (U) 2105 1900 —Llovd-George 3221, Naylor (C) 1997. DOWN (EAST). Captain Craig (U) 4028 J. Wood (L) 3034 1900—Craig 4011, Wood (Ind. C) 2G03. BANFFSHIRE. Colonel Waring (L) .. .. 4000 Watt (U) 2053 190(5—Waring 3901. Whitelaw (C) 1892. NORFOLK (SOUTH). 'A'. W. Soames (L) .. .. 4751 Kerrison (U) 3094 1900—Soames 4677. Mann (C) 3519. TORQUAY. Sir F. Lavland-Barratt (L) .. 5104 Yarde-Buller (U) .. .. 5093 1900 —Barratt 4830. Yarde-Buller 439 G. CARMARTHEN (WEST). .T. L. Morgan (L) .. .. 5084 CremlvTi (U) 2059 1906—Morgan, unopposed. HARROW. Deelv (I") 10.701 Harris (L\ 13.575 1906—-Tames Oibb (L) 11.?93, Hon W. R. Peel (U) 10,977TO ESCAPE STRIFE AND UNREST. COURAGEOUS STATESMANSHIP REQUIRED. ' RECONSTRUCTION' oy the CONSTITUTION. HFFSTf Received 25. 11.4 H p.m. London. January 25. The Westminster Hazeiie «avs tli.it Hie cleavage between norlh and '.-■ on In and between the industrial and rural districts requires courageous hnndliag if the country "is to escam- from n long period of strife and unrest. The, people are ready f '>r a statesmanlike reconstruction of the second chamber in harmony witli the representative institutions. but are opposed to a «ingl<> chamber. The reconstruction of the constitution is (•-•-■ntiallr a calling for the co-operation of the moderates of both parties. Many of ill" Unionists are pledge.! lo a modification of the, hereditary basis. The Unionist Party would gain if they would acknowledge that their opiiTuients have a real grievance a era in -t the Lords. A Parliamentary deadlock and schism between the clashes are 'hreatcned if the fortunes arc trusted to more heated partisans. MTSCELLANEOUS ITEMS. Calcutta. January 24. Absorbing interest is taken in the elections in Tndia, several newspapers publishing ial editions of light production. London. January 24. Dr. W. A. Chappie, who Vis been elected for Stirling-hire, is a New Zealaiidcr; ■while Mr. Alfred SI. George Ilamersley. elected for Wood-lock, was also a long time resident in New Zealand. Berlin January 24. German newspapers publish long reports of the polling, some arguing the possibility of a good tariff arrangement, ■with the Unionists. Loudon. January 24. A procession of Radicals did much window breaking at Carnarvon, the crowd objecting to a postponement of the declaration of the poll. After Mr. Cripps' success a). Wycombe the crowd took possession of the streets nnd invaded a Unionists' dumping-shop, making a bonfire of the co-itents. The Riot Act was read, and 100 police dispersed the mob with a baton charge.

TAXES ON FOOD. IF THE UNIONISTS Alt£ RETURNED. London, December 10. The latest improved version of Mr. Chamberlain's Tariff Reform scheme is given this week in the columns of the Birmingham Post, a journal in close touch with Mr. Chamberlain and his party. The Post candidly admits that "whatever else is done 'by the party leaders it is certain that thev must produce a bette r financial scheme than that invented by Mr. Lloyd-George if they are to obtain a majority in the next Parliament." Then it proceeds to outline a tariff which, it says, will form the basis of the Budget of 1910 if the Unionists afe returned. The proposed Unionist tariff is to be of tile simplest possible form, and is not to be "protective" in the sense in which that word is understood in Germany or the United States. There is no intention, we are told, of having multifarious rates which throw open the door for Parliamentary intrigue or lobbying. There will be three rates of duty only, giving an average of about 10 per cent. The plan at present favored by the Tariff Reformers is to allow raw materials to come in free, to place, a dutv of 5 ner on goods on whieh little labor has been spent, 10 per cent, on goods more nearly approaching the finislied state, and 15 per cent, on completely manufactured articles. Therewill be no variation from this scale, unless some very exceptional cases can be proved. "Thus the work of classification will be greatly simplified. Each article will almost naturally fall into its proper class, and even when there is doubt no great difficulty can arise. Just as there are to be three rates of duty, so there will be three scales ;n each rate." TO PRODUCE £10,000,000. "A tariff framed on the basis indicated above," says the Birmingham Po- . "is calculated to produce a revenue of from sixteen to twenty millions, and at the same time to give an immense impulse to home trade and home employment. The cost of collection is put down at a maximum of a quarter of a million—a marked contrast to the extravagant estimates of Free Trade speakers who know little or nothing about the business of the Customs Department. It is admitted, however, that neither the full revenue nor the full cost of collection is cer'ain to be in operation during the first year of a Unionist Administration." If t'ne Unionist' party are returned lo power next- month every possible effort, will be made to embody th" new duti-.-s in the fmdget of 1910. Tf this is found to be impracticable we njay expect to se 0 a "beginning," which will take (he form of giving tangible proof of th" intention to give colonial preference worth having, to the colonies and o f placing duties on certain articles which can con venientlv be selected. Tn this event the full Tariff Reform Budget would make its appearance in 1911 —with this exception. that the maximum duly won id remain ill abeyance for two years, so r:s to give time for Hie friendly negotiations of commercial agreements with foreign Powers. COLONIAL PREFERENCE. Important modifications on Mr Chamberlain's original proposals are introduced in the proposed tariff. Mr. Chamberlain was going to let colonial corn come in free, and let bacon and mai;-:e in free, but the Tariff Reformers now propos ( . to tax corn (including eoloniai). bacon and maize. This is how they explain wbv Mr. Chamberlain's proposal was thrown overboard: "Corn, according to present views, is To b 0 liable io a'duly of 2s a. tpiarler when coming from n foreign country.

people* as one of its e».-enii:u features. .Moreover, tin* new calmly imTiores the piedgc given by .Vlr. Chamberlain for a remission of <*x is t ill it taxes on tea. etc., to counter-balance the taxes on food.

Tlio chief object of this duty, of course. Y* to make it possible to give a ralimlde preference to the colonies -Cana Ta an? Australia in particular. M l '. <'hamh-r----laiii proposed to remit I lie whole ol the duty to tile colonies. There is, hn.vovor. a jiosfiliility of tills nrvanjr'nrut !>ein<r modified by a skills the colonies to iiirrce to a substantial preferen-o. which ivill not free them from the 1 whole of fhe duty. "The chief aim of any modification would, of fours". he to inen-.i-e |li» revenue, and at the same lime to lend some encouragement to whpa!-irr«\vin:r •it. home. Flour wi'l have !o pay a higher duty, in consideration of lh" that: it had had lal.or spent upon il. and in the very desirable end of promotina tin 1 . irrTndinj* of torn in this country, ft is manifestly heller I hat we should import corn and mill it at home (Ihn'cmplovin<_r our own labor) ralher ihan import (lour- which has been prepared by other hhor. Another modification excludes Tiacon and maize trran Uie free list. "It is recognised that Mr. Chamberlain was mistaken in twiling Ihev articles on an exceptional basis. and we do not don lit that he himself is sympathetic with present intentions with regard to them. Such important raw materials as cotton and woo! will, of course come in free."' i Tariff reform in Knglnnd. it will be * seen, involves taxes on the food of the