A HOME RULE REVERSE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8411, 13 November 1912, Page 4

A HOME RULE REVERSE.

It cannot be gainsaid that the defeat of Mr Asquith's Government on the financial clause of the Home Rule Bill is ominous an#'_lsconoerting^ although it is not likely %o prove the "deathblow" that sanguine Unionists anticipate. It is ominous because it appears to be an expression of the .growing feeling in England against , the measure; and ;it is. disconcerting because, apparently- it will necessitate the bringing down of fresh financial -proposals by the Government. Of course it is clear that the division was a srtap one; biit, nevertheless, it was oti an important principle in the Bill, and if Ministers had been punctilious in their regard, for the Parliamentary code, they would have promptly resigned. Their resolve to the contrary effect is not, however, to be altogether con-: demned. It might have been better tactics for them to have dene so, but tho present moment is peculiarly inopportune, -.for an appeal to the country. The European crisis may at any moment become acute, and it is not advisable' in these circumstances that there should be the. confusion and turmoil of a general election, with a possible change of Government. Ministers will, of courso, be accused of a desperate desire to cling to o.ffioe, and of an unscrupulous resolve, to , force the Home Rule Bill through at-all hazards; but, taking all the circumstances of the case into. consideration, they may be said to have adopted the most expedient course in refusing to'" recognise the , adverse vote as one of want of confidence. The House of. Commons will be asked to reconsider the clause in dispute, and to give a full and deliberate verdict to replace the snatch decision obtained by more ov less " slim " tactics. All the same, however, the. incident is a blow to the prestige of the Government, and may yet prove tho forerimnor of serious delay, if not disaster, to tho Bill.