MR CHAMBERLAIN INTER* VIEWED.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11666, 19 September 1905, Page 4

MR CHAMBERLAIN INTER* VIEWED.

An Australian journalist, who had the good fortune to secure an interview with Mr Chamberlain at the House pi Commons recently, came away "impressed by the Strength ,of the lender's personality, by his evident sincerity, and by^the fact that he -is, probably beyond any other Englishman, imbued with the spirit of Jbhe new and true, as opposed to the old and false Imperialism." < The interviewer has given a record of the conversation to, the British Australasian. "I want," said Mr Chamberlain; "to- see- the representatives gf the Colonies' come to the Conference, which will, I believe, be held In a" few months, absolutely unfettered by conditions or advice from anyone as to what -they should do or what they should leave undone. I want everyone who sits in that Conference to put his cards on the table/ to say, 'This is what I have to give; what have you to giv* in return? And if this is not enough, if you want more, well, what more will you give us?'" Mr Chamberlain continued that the people of the Mother Country, now that their interest was awakened, would watch the proceedings with the utmost keenness, and that they should be enabled to see, without the possibility of' a quibble or a* mistake, that the colonies had something of. great value to give, something of great importance to every workless man or woman*, to everyone, in fact, who was dependent on employment for a living. '1 want these colonies to let our people see," he went on, "that they only ask for what is fair and reasonable in retufu. I believe the Conference will " effectually kill the: idoa some people are trying to foster, that this is only a scheme to enable the colonies to get their hands into th« pockets of the British taxpayer." cc Most of us hope," said the interviewer, "that the ' adoption of your policy will eventually lead to complete Imperial free trade." "We all, I think, hope that," Mr Chamberlain answered, "but that must.. take time; we have no right to expect that young and growing- countries shall ha've"no"desif'e > to establish their own industries; or that they will be prepared to .remove all-re-strictions until • they are • established firmly." The final handshake left the Australian with a feeling that he had himself been interviewed and that Mr Chamberlain had been quietly questioning him as to the colonial attitude.