NOTED LIBERAL PEER

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1930, Page 3

NOTED LIBERAL PEER

EARL BEAUCHAMP ARRIVES. VIEWS ON EMPIRE FREE TRADE. . Earl Beauchamp, Deader of the Liberal Party in the House of Lords, arriveu by the Niagara at Auckland last weeK on his way to Australia. He was Governor of New South Wales from 1899 to 1901 and intends to spend two months familiar scenes in Sydney and Melbourne. He has also been invited to spend part of his visit with friends In the country. I just felt the need of a holiday, so decided to visit Australia, which I knew so well 30 years ago,” said Lord Beauchamp. “I do not expect a general eleeX tion in England before next year, otherwise I would not have felt myself free to leave for so long. New Zealand, by the way, is not a complete stranger to m e In 1900, when I was ..travelling on a Burns-Philp steamer, • the captain dropped me at Milford Sound to enable me to see something of this country and t v al m ed across tlle Milford Track to Bake Te Anau, one of the .most beautiful walks I have had, in ,my life. I travelled north to Auckland and stilr have vivid memories of the great Maori demonstration at Rotorua in honour or Eord Ranfurly, who was then your Governor. l a m now looking forward to seeing Sydney Heads again. The view going up Sydney Harbour is one I used to be never tired of seeing.” . In British politics Lord Beauchamp has been actively opposed tb the Empire 1 ree Trade campaign conducted by Lord Beaverbrook. “The by-elections have not shown that he has secured the support of any large- number of the electorate in support of food taxes,” said Lord Beauchamp, -and I think the Conservative Party at the next general election will be content to put before the people ol he country the policy of widely-extend-ed tariffs. “Being a staunch Cobdenite, I cannot see that taxes on food are going to be for the benefit of the British people, and, in addition, there is no evidence tnat the self-governing Dominions will, from their side, give this policy any support. In the absence of anything of tne kind, I consider it my duty wholly to oppose the policy advocated bv Lord Beavefbook.” ■The first question Lord Beauchamp asked on landing was “How did the Bromley by-election result?” He was immensely pleased to hear that, while the seat was retained for the Conservatives, the Liberal candidate polled 1693 more votes than the United Empire Party candidate. “Bromley is undoubtedly a Conservative constituency,” he said, “but the significance of the vote was wrapped up in the prospects or Lord Beaverbrook’s candidate. The face that a Liberal candidate can obtain such satisfactory support in such a small poll and put- the Empire Free Trade candidate in the shade points, I might almost say, to a Liberal revival. It is most encouraging in view of the forth-coming-general election.” Speaking of the Labour Government’s position, Lord Beauchamp said the .Gqy< eminent had failed to reduce unemnlnyment, which had actually increased largely since if took office. “Their own supporters are largely disappointed with them for-having failed to grapple with \ Hie problem, and the prospect for thei coming winter is far from good,” he said.' lhe position is really heartrending and. the country made a great mistake in nor adopting Lloyd George’s practical schema for its relief. It was a case for war measures and no man was better able to’ cany such measures into effect than Lloyd George. ------- “It is.extraordinary that'the evidences of unemployment are so few and far between in our big towns, except perhaps in the north,” he added. The Unemployment . Insurance Fund, aided by loans, has provided the people of England with means to overcome the temporary difficulties. Although there was no obvious sign of improvement when I left England, I am certain. that before long con- t ditions will improve in Great Britain, ' as they must also improve in, Australia, the United States aiid the other countries of the world.”

Lord Beauchamp was Governor of New South Wales before the days of Australian federation., and' proved himself ; a democrat. He threw open the doors ot Government House for the first time to Labour leaders, artists,,writers and professional men-. From 1910 to 1914 he was First Commissioner of Works ana Lord President of the Council in the British Liberal Government. It is to him that the credit is given for having prevented an absolute split between the main body of the Liberals; and those fol- 1 lowing Lloyd George in 1926. At a meeting of leaders at which the main question- was the '‘‘excommunication” of Lloyd George, he was the on!y one who refused to sign a document carrying this -into effect.-. It has been written of him, “Not only was he the chief begetter of that measure of unity which the Liberals have compassed, but in the Lords he is’the -only natural leader of the party.” •