POLITICAL CRISIS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5475, 21 February 1910, Page 3

POLITICAL CRISIS.

DEMANDS OF THE ALLIES. VETO MUST COME FIRST. j^BOUR'S DECLARATION OF WAR LONDON, Feb. 18. •There indications fiat the politii «ris» has reached an acute stage. •iWe have been six Cabinet meet . rtithin a week, each cf which has aver two honrs. One held this J* .„- _«3 adjourned until late this »££■ and Mr Asquith in the • id bad & farther audience with *u2whfo MrT. P. O'Connor has JJ oedUting between the more ""fL,, members of the Irish party t itfini»ters. He intei viewed the Siter ot E! ibaKk (Par liameQtar J *""7 §ry to the Treasury) twice, and t aMfctni with Mr Redmond and v, JohnDflloD. and then an apparent J-atendfog * as cached. SqtwniSy Mr Barnes (chairman «*theL*boar party) after consulting th Mr Keir Hardie and other pro- ! authorised the foli SS ! .totement, embodying the I S party's settled policy:"Dwmte the Albert Hall speech, Vr AMnitf» holds office without astruces from the King regarding the STwMdi; moreover is to be dealt 2th only after the Budget. I know thatCWnW Will not be acceptable to thiUl»arP4rt7. It implies that the nowerg thai be think the election was U sufficiently decisive in regard to the JL It involves, therefore, another Jtetjott before the Lords question can be settled. "If an election must occur we ought to law ita» soon as poasible lam iwwthe reply to all this is that the finances of the country must be rtnighterieo*. I say. the responsibility iA thei sMfdabn should be put on the Mthors dit Doubtless the difficulties could, be overcome by loans and otherwwe." Liberals-interpret Mr Barnes' statement a* a declaration of war on the Government, unless the question of the korda 5» deoMively dealt with before the progress of any other business is attempted. : ...