PREFERENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13291, 21 May 1907, Page 5

PREFERENCE.

THE SCOTTISH LIBERALS.

ADDRESS BY MR CHURCHILL.

Press Association—Bv Telegraph-Copyright LONDON, May 19.

Mr Churchill, in addressing 5000 niembeis of the Scottish Liberal Association, said that the demand for preference made at the Colonial Conference had been repeated daily with strident clamour by the Tories, and" the pothouse press supporting them. They said that the Government had banged the door. Yes, they had banged, barred and bolted the door upon Imperial taxation of food. The largest Liberal, Radical and Labour majority ever seen had set their backs firmly against it, and the Liberals would stand like a rock between the working masses and 'those squeezing some of the shameful profit out of the scanty pittance of the weak poor. He added'. "Of some of the speeches of our colonial guests I r-:av nothing, exceptthat they were the guests of the Government, and the laws of hospitality impose obligations not only on the hosts, but on the guests. The 'mischief-making, eavesdropping press has done it-i best to create ill-feeling between the Premiers and the Government, but the forces for the unity of the Empire were strong enough to make their exertions vain." NEW YORK, May 13. Britain's attitude over the question of preference at the Imperial Conference lias induced the Democrat'-! of Massachusetts to make reciprocity with Canada the chief plank of their 'platform during the next campaign for the State Governorship. COMPLAINT BY MR SMARTT. Received 9.28 p.m.. May. 20th. LONDON, May 20. Mr Sniaitt, on bring interviewed, complained of the timidity of the Imperial Government in refusing to examine dispassionately and consider the vital question of fiscal reform. Even with a mandate against preference the Government might have reduced the duties on tobacco and sugar in the interests of the Empire. SIR J. G. WARD INTERVIEWED. Received 9.56 p.m.. May 20th. LONDON, .May 20. Sir J. G. Ward, interviewed by Reuier at Brindisi, said it would be idle to say that, before coming to the conference, he believed that a rsolution favourable to preference would 1)2 carried, because he understood the Imperial Government's declared policy was in favour oi free trade, though, personally, he believed that the question of protection v. free trade ought not to enter into the question of preferential trade. Yet, if preference were to be regarded as a protectionist policy, it would have been paradoxical to have found a party opposed to protection and preference supporting it at the.Conference.

THE PRESS AND THE DOOR, Received 10.41 p.m.. May 20th. LONDON, May 20. The '• Daily News," dealing- with Mr Churchill's speech says that the door is banged not upon the colonies but upon protection. The "Daily Chronicle" declares that the door is slammed nob against the colonise—" whose interests are dear to us, whose loyalty we appreciate, in whose virilitv we rejoice"—but against a cruel and miscliievious policy.