, 1910-03-09

Al 1Dl " 41An
address of welcome Lord Balfour said he
and his colleagues were most grateful for
the cordial and kindly welcome accorded
them and for the evident pains taken to
facilitate the inquiry, and after reading the
ROYAL warrant the first witness called was
the Honouru BILE Collector Of Customs, who
explained the colony trade st .tistlcs in a clear
and concise manner. Together with every wit
ness examined yesterday, he advocated I'M
proved steam communication WIthCNnada and
thought o twelve knot service should be
inaugurated, but lie dombted If any I'M proved
service with Canada could hope to compete
with the excellent direct communication
with New York maintained BY the steamers
of the Trinidad line and those OF the Royal
Dutch Mail. He also drew attention TO
freight rates, which are largely !! not entire
ly ia favour of theNew York :nes and trade;
Notwithstanding these drawbacks, trade had
increased with Canada and reciprocal ar
engagements would undoubtedly incre4s it
to a much greater extent. Two witnesses,
Messrs, Bernstein aud Higgins, were OPP
posed to reciprocity with Canada, fear
ing retaliation on the part Of the United
States, which would be q calamity to
our cocoa, fifty per cent OF which goes to
the United Suites, against about only one
per cent to Canada. Gould 1t be possible to
obtain q guarantee that the United States
would not retaIiate, their objection to trade
arrangements with Canada would cease. The
Hon. A. Smith also said it was of vital Inn
portance that cocoa should be protected
from possible retaliation from the United
States, and he was also of the opinion that
the Canadian sugar ~retiners got most, II not
all, of the benefit of the preference granted
by Canada on West Indian sugar. Messrs.
Rust and Grant were in favour OF reclplo-
city, and the latter, with Mr.. Trip, cOnal-
dered the fear Of retaliation from the United
States groundless. AT 4 pm. Lord BaIfour
adjourned the inquiry, and it IS understood
further evidence will be taken in London,
The Commission leave for England by K.
Nj. S. Nile on Monday.
London, March 7th-In the elections for
members Of the London County Council on
Saturday the Municipal Reformers secured fl
ty eight seats, the Progressive fifty SIX and
the Labourites three. The net gain Of the
Progressiyes is twenty one, and the resulting
deadlock curiously resembles that OF the
House of Commons the MOderates failed to
retain their majority, largely through apathy,
excess of politics and the belief that the rate
payers had little to choose between the lead
ing parties.
Tie King left for Paris en- route for Biar-
ritz Yesterday, and there will now be Il poll
teal truce until after Easter, and pending
the production Of the Unonists' plan for re-
form of the House of Lords against the sim
gle chamber policy of The Government. De8-
pite objections, several Of the ministers have
been sllenced by the threats OF their rebeIllous
allies. Lord Rosebery's proposal is expected
on the fourteenth, the result of the labours
of himself and Lords Curzon and Newton
The details regarding it are unauthentic, but
it is rumoured that the hereditary element IS
to be reduced, with fewer legislative Lords,
perhaps half to be elected either directly or
by local bodies, for example perhaps the
county councils, their period Of member
ship being twelve years. It is believed this
will be more popular than the Governments
proposal, but action by the present parlIa-
ment is not hoped for, intervention by the
crown is impossible, as Mr.. Asquth
is unable to ask and the King Is
unable to grant compulsion at the
demand of a limited heterogeneous
majority dominated by the Irish. The Govern
ment could amend the financial situation
forthwith, but prefers to make political capt.
Ia, and the Unlonists are hearteped by hopes