BRITISH POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7931, 3 January 1906, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

THE TAX" ON COAL. Received January 2, 7.46 a.m. LONDON. January 1. Sir Henry Campbell-Hannerman has intimated that if the finances permitted he hoped to repeal at au early date th« coal tax. SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC FEDERATION. Reoeived January 2, 7.46 a.m. LONDON, January 1. The Social Democratic Federation of Great Britain advocates the maintenance of children out of national funds during the whole of their school life; the co-operative organisation of unemployed on the land, in factories, on buildings, and in afforestation, with pensions to the aged and those incapacitated from work. The Federation also supports Home Rule. NO HALF-WAY HOUSE. Recieved January 2, 9.35 a.m. LONDON, January 1. The Right Bon. G. Wyndham, late Chaef Secretary for Ireland, speaking at Dover, olaimed that he had always denounced more violently half-way houses than a full measure of Home Rule. It was better that the union should go down immediately than suffer a lingering death. He added that he would fight us heretofore against any tampering witn the union.SIR EDWARD GREY'S OPINION. Received January 2, 9.53 a.m. LONDON, January 1. Sir Edward Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, speaking at Embleton, said the Liberals' proper course was co take up, with Sir Antony MaoDonnell's help, the sympathetic policy of administration of Irish affairs where the Conservative left off for want of courage when Mr Wyndham was ousted. COMPULSORY ARBITRATION. Reoeived January 2, 8.30 a.m. Mr D. Lloyd-George, President of the Board of Trade, speaking at Pwllheli (Carnarvonshire), stated that considerable success was attending compulsory arbitration in New Zealand and Australia, but Conciliation Boards were the only present solution of Englioh labour troubles. Personally he would like to see tbe experiment tried in all the industries.

MR D. LLOYD-GEORGE, President of the Board of Trade, who wants Conciliation Boards established in England. THE HON. ALFRED ;LYTIELTON. ELECTIONEERING ADDRESS. Received January 2, 9.10 a.m. LONDON, January 2. The Hon. .Alfred Lyttelton (exColonial Secretary) in his election address, said that the need for fiscal reform was growing. It was Becoming more and more plain that the great self-governing colonies were strongly in favour of preference to and from the Motherland. Prudence and business foresight, equally with patriotism, demanded that every ett'ort should be made to meet this desire. He added: "I strongly advocate the investigation of the subject in conference with the colonies and that the investigators approach the task with a sincere resolve to advance free trade within the Empire. I am entirely in agreement with Mr Balfour as to the wisdom of taking power to iuipose retaliatory duties, and I am inclined to believe that a good starting point wuuld be a low uniform duty for revenue purposes on imported manufactures." After condemning Home Rule as a "side wind, 11 he declared that a* the late Government had given a pledge to abide by the decision of an elected and really representative i legislature in the such as was now being formed, the temporary halt in the recruitment of Chinese seemed unimportant. With this exception Lord Elgin's decision was in general harmony with the late Government's policy. MORE FROM MR CHAMBERLAIN. Received January 2, 10.47 p.m. LONDON, January 2. Mr Chamberlain, in hia election i address, charged the Government

CABLE NEWS.

liy Telegraph—Piew Association— Copyright

with "seeking to tortuously compass the disruption of tbe Kingdom," and with "dangerous parsimony in national defence." Ho added that a commercial arrangement with the colonies would bo the first item in the Unionists' future constructive programme and retaliation the second. The fii'&t would iuciease the price of bread slightly, but it would open au immense new market and cement Imperial relations. The second would secure employment at fair wages, and defend our trade against unfair competition. It would not raise prices. It would bo defensive not protective nor inconsistent with tho true spirit of fiee trade. , the labour candidates. Received January 2, 11.6 p.m. LONDON, January 2. Mr Michael Davitt will stump England in support of the Independent Labour candidates. Of 50 of these it is understood that Mr Keir Hardie hopes to return one half, in which case, unless given a commanding majority, the Liberals must reckon with an Irish labour coalition. SPEECH BY MR BALFOUR. Received January, 2, 11.10 p.m. LONDON, January 2. Mr Balfour, in addressing 2000 people at Leamington, in support of the Hon. Alrfed Lyttelton, was frequently interrupted by a number of electors sensitive as regards Chinese labour. The ex-Premier dealt chiefly with this question. He described as "foolish, atrocious falsehoods" the statements tnat the Labour Ordinance excluded British workers from a profitable field of employment, and that tbe Chinese labour in the Transvaal was equivalent to slavery. He characterised the propaganda on this subjeot as "political hypocrisy." Even if the elections were won on the cry "slavery" the Government now in office had no intention of preventing the colonies from carrying on what they called slavery. Received January 2, 11.17 p.m. Incidental mention was made of Mr Chamberlain's "admirable speech" of Saturday. He made speoial reference to the importance of colonial markets, and was warmly cheered. Mr Balfour added: "I do not belong to the party hearing the colonies express a desire for closer unioa with the Motherland yet closing its ears, and muttering shibboleths about what it erroneously describes as free trade. 1 am in favour of anything which will seoure us greater freedom of trade with the colonies, and everything giving us the greatest power 'to diminish the maleficent of those growing tariffs which are threatening to throttle British trade in large tracts of tbe civilised world.