3 DECEMBER 1910, Page 3

At Portsmouth on Wednesday night Lord Lansdowne emphasised Mr. Ba/four's

declaration upon the Referendum. Kr. Asquith ,had challenged them as to whether they would allow a Referendum upon Tariff Reform, and the challenge had been taken up by Mr. Balfour. "Although it was originally intended to use the Referendum generally as a means of getting over differences between the two Houses of Parliament, we are ready to give an under- taking that we will not apply Tariff Reform until a Referendum has been taken on it from the people of this country." Lord Lansdowne, after expressing a hope that this would reassure the moderate Free-traders, pointed out that Mr. Asquith had pleaded guilty to flirting with the Referendum on different occasions. "We are not flirting with it. We mean business."