West Coast Times

West Coast Times, Issue 13732, 31 January 1906, Page 2

West Coast Times

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1906.

THE NEW IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

The manner in whhh the British Liberals, under Sir ilenry Campbell-Banner-man's leadership, have swept the polJa at the general election i? almost as complete as the triumph achieved by the Liberal Party in the colony at last election. Thj resale at Home was not unexpected, being autipated by all parties, but it affords food for speculation as to what the effect of the new Government policy is likely to be in the near fu lure. The Liberals came in pledged co continue the foreign policy of the Balfour Government as to the Anglo-Japaueae Alliance, and with reference to the friendly treaties concluded with Fiance and other continent il nations. Had they not done so their majority would certainly nut have been so great, and in faot any change in the Foreign Policy would have been likely to prevent their attaining to the Treasury Benches. Auothtr factor which helped the big win, was the unpopularity of the Government over the employment of Chinese labour in the Rand mines. This lost tha Government seats, though] votes given against them were unthinkingly oagt. It was evidently overlooked by elector.^ whose votes were influenced by tho Chinese labour question, that consent to the importation and employment or Coolie labour in South Africa was obtained from the Imperial Government at tho request of the local Government. Strong pressure wa; brought to bear on the Balfour Government in the matter, aud it has not, after all, yet been conclusively proved to tho satisfaction of outsiders, at all event', thur the *?old could be profitably recovered from the Rand mines without the a ,d „f coolio labour, seeiug that it w s impossible tc get a auffiiient number of Kallir-i. We have not, ai yet, heard of any intention by the new Government to interdict the continuance of this coloured

labour supply, though possibly it is considered that the granting of autonomus Government to the Transvaal will give those chiefly concerned an opportunity of settling the matter for themselves. The rout of the Unionis's by the Liberals was exceptionally complete. Next Parliament will se« missing from tbe front Opposition benches no leas than six Ministers who were included ie tb? Balfour Administration the supreme blow being, o' course, the defeat oE Mr Balfour himself, who had represented bis coDßtituoncy, Manchester Est for over twenty years. It is always a public misfottune when men of such bie;h stamp, of wide learning, great ability, and long parliamentary experiences are excluded from the legi.-lature of any country, and it will ba a source of universal satisfaction that Mr Balfour's return for a London seat will now be practicVly assured. A unique feature of the new parliament, which is a sign cf tbe times, is the representation of Labour by a compact Labour Paity, whose members will entitle them to be heard by whatever party ia in power. With oue of their body on the Ministerial Benches, in tbe person of Mr Johu Burns, labour will have iifluen ! ial representition in the House of Commons. It is but right that ie should be so, as so large an 3' comprehensive a class iv any community should hive full consideration from every political economist and should have an adequate voice in the making of the laws by which the country is governed. The unemployed difficulty which appears to be particularly acute at Home at present, the new Government have addressed themselves to, and no doubt an adequate solution of the problem will be found. The Education question ia arother of the social problem?, with which tbey have to grapple, and by putting the control of schools in the hands of local authorities it looks as if a satisfactory adjustment of this difficulty will be made. The Home Rule question may cause the Government more trouble, but with tbe overwhelming majority, they have they will likely give this question more leisurely consideration than they promised before the polls. It is, however, the Foreign Policy of the Government with which we are most concerned, and to render us as well as all the other colonies permanently independent of the vagaries of any colonial office, it could be wished that an Imperial Conn < cil was established which would decide colonial questions as well as questions of foreign policy in which the colonies are 'interested.