IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12896, 6 February 1906, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

CABINET APPOJJTTStENTF'

United Press Association—Per Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, February 4. Mr Norton, v a .member of the House of Commons, ha* succeeded Mr Thomtis as Junior Lord of the Treasury. THE FISCAL QUESTION*.'

THE SPLIT IN* THE UNIONISTS' RANKS,

Received 12.51 a.m., February 6th. LONDON, Februarv 5. Mr Balfour is unwilling; to "advance further on the fiscal question and ■ docs not wish his party to commit.itself to detail. If the party desired he wou'd cheerfully surrender the leadership to Xtr Chamberlahi tbongh not,to some thml jMroon, since tariff -reform will' {pr some tube pccnpy & small space ia ; .pontics. JJecoDiiiders' jt unreasonable to ask him to'fco farther." ind •unwise to rule out aIL. jrho are unable to go so far as Mr Chamberlain. A Meeting of the partjr will probahiy be* heldafter the Speaker's,election. I Th? " Times If party -tjhen strori_gfy favours Mr Ch.-uhber-ainV policy, we cannot, ecei how he can; clinft. leadership. Mr Balfour!? porijton. thougU weak fmm n popular standjwiinS. is stronp in view of the task immediatelv'i>e fore the party. Though Mr Rairour" and Mr Chamberlain are unable to arrive .1! a f «U political agreement, thev will rrih.iin friends. There is nut the slightest idea of personal competition. Mr Chamberlain wishes liis ncheme for tariff reform to he made the main p'ank of the I. monist platform -tul ni)} urcoii'in^ it will be no J. 1 of the party. H v '- juv «•»>•- thi«. Mr Chnn>beil-«" »v"ll j.rove n Vv.i! M>t; if Mr Rn'four is nimbi* to roddiiv his attitnds. then Mr Chunberlain will

form a wholly separate party of tariff reformers under his own Icadere-hip who wiU act entirely independently, uaaccepting }bo Opposition whips, but basing Ibcir whole Parliamentary action on tariff reform. Mr Chamberlain is willing to serve under Air Itong who folly agrees with hi* fiscal policy." * ,