BRITISH POLITICS.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXII, Issue 65, 18 March 1910, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

Press Assn —By telegraph—Copyright, LONDON, March 17.

Lord Curzon emphasised the feeling in respect wherewith the House of Lords was viewed in the colonies as a benign House, where the colonies' case was stated with experience, regarded sympathetically, and judged with authority. How much more was this the case in an ancient, aristocratic country like India, throughout which country the House of Lords was regarded with enormous veneration and respect. He added that one-fourth of the House sat as the result of its own honorable exertions. He had no sympathy with a popularly elected second Chamber, but favored rooting the House deeper in democracy.

Lord Burghclere, in also supporting the resolution, advocated limiting the veto.

Lord Cromer said the House of "Lords should retain its powers intact. Lord Hals bury severely criticised Lord Rosebery's resolutions, but was willing that they should go to Committee.

Lords Crewe and Lansdowne continue the debate to-day. It is understood that the Lords will take the resolutions in Committee next week, adopt the first two, and •consider the third after Easter. The Times' Parliamentary correspondent says the Ministry is in favor of a second Chamber of 150 members. The method of electing Senators is still under discussion, but the present intention is that half the Senate shall be elected for eight years and half for four years. Mr Gibbons, a magistrate and candidate at the Mid-Glamorganshire bye-election, in an election speech, said that the Liberals in the constituency bitterly protested against the Master of Elibank advising them not to oppose the Labor party. The Master of Elibank replies that -the South Wales Miners' Federation repeatedly resolved to abstain while Sir Alfred Thomas, member for Glamorganshire East, and Sir Samuel T. Evans, late member for Mid-Glamor-ganshire, adhered to the general political programme of the Federation, but whenever a vacancy occurred to contest the seat against all comers. Mr John Redmond, leader of the Irish party, speaking at Newcastle, said he was perfectly sure that there -would be a general election in a few -weeks. NAVAL MATTERS.

(Received March 18, 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, March 17. The vote of £7,389,400, wages for the .Navy, was agreed to. Mr Lee, answering Mr Murray M'Donald, member for Falkirk, said the two-Power standard was impossible, if friendly nations excluded computations because of others, they would expect to be excluded. Sir Charles "Dilke discussed the treatment meted out to the Mulliner Co., and declined to inform Mr M'Kenna whether he believed the allegations were true. Mr M'Kenna, after a sharp passage with Sir Charles Dilke, declared the accusations against the Admiralty were baseless. Replying to some Liberals regarding Britain's adhering to the right to capture an enemy's goods at sea, Mr M'Kenna stated that if we deprive ourselves of the power of offence, we are still compelled to maintain a supreme Navy to protect against invasion, but if assured that in the event of our abandoning the right, others would reduce their navies upon the understanding, ours would remain supreme, Government was willing to consider their proposals. THE GOVERNMENT'S DIFFICULTIES. (Received March 18, 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, March 17. Dissatisfaction with Sir Edward Grey's speech is increasing. Liberals complain that he has dispelled the hopes of adjusting the difficulties with the Nationalists. Sir Edward Grey's declaration that Government intends to proceed with the reform of the House of Lords is extremely distasteful to the Labor party. The Standard states that Sir Edward Grey, Mr Haldane, at Wolverhampton, Mr M'Kenna, and Lord Crewe insist on combining reform with limitation of the Lords' power of veto. The British 'Weekly complains that Government intends to spring upon the nation a scheme for reforming the Lords and the introduction of the Budget together, with the certainty of defeat, and that they are apparently determined not to approach the King. The enthusiasm of the Nonconformists for the Government is nearly worn out. MR REDMOND'S VIEWS. (Received March 18, 8.40 a.m.) LONDON, March 17. Mr Redmond, at Newcastle, complained of the rotten policy of the Government.. He declared Sir Edward Grey's speech on Monday showed that the Government proposed to relax its grip upon the Budget before the veto was settled. LORD CTJRZON'S PROPOSALS.

(Received March 18, 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, March 17

The newspapers interpret Lord Curzon 7 s proposals to mean, firstly, the nomination of an undisclosed number ,of peers by the Government of the day • secondly, the election of English peers should be conducted on iJie same principle as the Irish and Scottish peers are chosen; thirdly, that county councils and great corporations should be formed into electoral colleges, to select eighty-four representatives to the Upper House.