Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman, who welcomed the general tone of Mr.
Chamberlain's speech, assured him in regard to our relations with France that our understanding remained as strongly entrenched as ever, that it had no sinister purpose towards any other nation or Government, and that the Govern- ment merely wished to find in it "a means of strengthening that good and almost affectionate feeling between France and Great Britain which we are all anxious to encourage." He defended the immediate grant of responsible government to the Transvaal as the best means of ending friction between governors and governed, adding that, as to the electoral system to be adopted, the Government had an open mind ; that they found themselves "woefully in want of information," and did not intend to decide without full and further inquiry. He defended his attitude in regard to Chinese labour as con- sistent with his former declaration that it was a question to be decided in the last resort by the Colony itself ; disclaimed responsibility for the election cartoons which he had never seen; and quoted Mr. Lyttelton's despatches as evidence of the existence of irregularities and evils which the Government had done their best to check. The question of the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the subject would be fully considered. As regards the Fiscal question, a day would be granted for its discussion, when possibly the late Prime Minister would be in his place to take part in it.
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