IMPERIAL.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 4, 26 January 1910, Page 8

IMPERIAL.

THE British elections, begun last Saturday, arc still in full swing, and the final results will not be complete until Tuesday next. So far all the “front ben<h’’ men on both sides of the House have been re-elected, but the wide disparity between the two main parties will not be perpetuated in the new House. Th< most notable defeats have been those ci \\ ill Thorne and Will Crooks, the I.alhnir leaders. The tariff and the navy have boomed larg* in the battle, and Mr. Balfour, in a plea for preference, said that the Government had turned a deaf ear to the pleadings of the oversea dominions. He trusted that we would not for long turn an unheeding ear. while the method of framing tariffs adopted by our rivals was sm-h as would compel the colonies, unless we altered our policy, to come some arrangement with those with whom they were doing business. Mr, Will ( !<• »R< made the surprising statement that the colonies laughed at and s<‘< med the idea <>f any preference from Britain. The Federal Minister for Customs took tin first opportunity of denying this, remarking that no sentiment was more popular throughout Australia, ami that last year the preference extended by Australia had meant a voluntary gift of £828,000 to British merchants. \ straight out threat as to what would happen if preference were granted was made by Herr Harden, the noted editor of the •Zukunit.’’ who said:. “Every Chancellery holds that an AngloGerman war is probable. There are people in Germany who declare that a Customs tariff dosing the British Empire to German goods will have to be pierced by the German sword. Mr. Asquith. says that the naval power of Britain is complete and unassailable, while Dr T. J. Maenamara. Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty, stated at Hastings that he would stand by the following forecast concerning the respective strength of Britain and Germany in April. 1912: — Dreadnoughts 20 to 13, pre Dreadnoughts 40 to 20, cruisers 35 t< 13. a total of 95 to 46. The "Daily Mail’’ reports that the War (Hike census of horses reveals an alarming deficiency owing to the activity of foreign buyers. The census enumerates 156.000 horses, being the maximum required. but leaving no allowance for reserve. It is expected that the trouble over the Eight Hours in Mines Act, which threw over a hundred thousand Northumberland and Durham miners idle, will be settled by conciliation. Meantime three fourths of the men are now at work.