IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6313, 10 August 1888, Page 3

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Ministers at the Lord j Mayor's Banquet. [Special to Press Association.] j LONDON, August 9. i The Eight Hon P. de Keyser, Lord Mayor oH London, entertained the members of the Ministry at a banquet last night. In replying to the toast of the HfTavy, Lord GL Hamilton, referring to the recent naval manoeuvres, aaid that they *vero being conducted on old methods of warfare, and showed that the defensive tactics employed would be unreliable if a j bombardment of London were imminent. | Emptying to the toast o£ the | Ministry, Lord Salisbury, speaking on i the Local Government Bill, said the j measure would solve a difficult | problem without injury to vested interests. Whilst other nations were increasing their public debt, and showing corresponding decreasing j credit, England was preserving her credit at home and abroad. Speaking to more general questions, j the Premier said Government took j credit for establishing a better order j of things in Ireland, and had been j instrumental in diminishing the | tyranny of societies over the people. They had also increased the Banctity of contracts in that country. On tho Continent tranquility prevailed, and he felt confident that the great rulers of the world desired uninterrupted peace. The conviction was stealing upon the statesmen of Europe that it was not advisable to interfere in Bulgaria at the present juncture. Referring to the accession of the Emperor William to the Prussian throne, Lord Salisbury expressed the belief that his reign would he beneficial to the people, and that he would be a credit to his English. - German ancestry. Nothing in European politics could be more desirable than that the policies of Russia and Germany should become parallel, for peace between these two great Powers meant the peace of Europe also. j