THE KING'S SPEECH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 436, 19 February 1909, Page 5

THE KING'S SPEECH.

: WELSH DISESTABLISHMENT. "A MISSILE TO FLING AT THE LORDS." THE BUDGET AND THE NAVY. (by.TEtEattAWi—ritEss ASSociATioN-corrniGnT.l London, February 17. ' The "Times" ' says tho presence" : of the Kingand Queen at thojopeningof tho session was a redeeming feature—the one purple; patch in what was otherwise a tame • affair. .-'. ,: '■ ■ ' <;■ : Tho "Times" continues:—''Disestablishment of. the Church in Wales will not be pressed'beyond tho second reading; and will then bo'r&crvcd as a missile to fling at the Lords during the succeeding session; Tho real interest centres ip the Budget. Specific recognition that increased expenditure on the liayy is /.necessary, is very welcome." , ■_ . :';( v ; ! INDIGNANT.: - ■:; V :'AN "AT HOME" INVADED. London) Fobruary '17J\ -"Suffragists are indignant;at no reference to female franchise being made in the King's Speeoh-at the opening of Parliament..; ■ : ;-: Three of theni invaded; an "At Home" given, at the -residence 'of.'the Right: Hon. Reginald M'Kenna, First; Lord of the Admiralty. ' One addressed the;guests from a chair, h Subsequently the, three were ejected. .Another travelled in; a balloon over Lonidon'with a:megaphone.; A huge inscription was attached to the balloon. ; -" ■:• DEBATE IN tHE HOUSE OF COMMONS. ■- ; AMENDMENTS,. ;; STRONG SPEECHES BY LABOUR : v- .•;'.'•'■ -MEMBERS.;: : ;.';'.:X.'.''. v /(Rec'.'February ;18,.;li;5:p:m.) ; ,: / '...'.•■■■.' London,/February'lß.'' ; , Members have ' given' .'notice of 'thirty amendments to the: Address-m-Reply.' ;- •'*..:■ Mr, : Barnes (Labour), dealing with what he considered to he inadequate, proposals for dealing with unemployment, declared that' the: twin causes wore the private .ownership 'of. land and. capitalism. He demanded' land j taxation; nationalisation : . of/canals and rail-, ways,-arid shorter hoursvof ..labour. He ended -' by, 'passionately; declaring: he; would rather'; be'outside the. Houso: if the time iwasted by the. Labour Party xould.bo' bet-.ter'employed-iin'rousing the/country.;. . v : ; Mri.'Burns,'■'■president, of the ;Local 'Government Board, in' an emphatic •■• speech, which aroused much dissent, attributed; unemployment .to the yiolerit 7 fluctuations of industry \' among ■ engineers,' .shipbuilders, boilermaker's, ; and. the'. ■ building /trade,' and tho : difficulty of. finding ..work' for unorganised'unskilled labourers. : If a tithe of ...the money spent'. in drink were used for'insuring Won against 'Unemployment,. much misery would |be. saved. /.The' Government was considering.-' the' afforestation ■. report, '■ and would''deal, with .the; poor, law commission this New; Irish '''.Land- Bill,; by preventing the 7 annual '-'influx • ■of ; forty : or .fifty-tuousand;.lrish, labourers into.;;,'the Nrirth,-of. England, would do much, to, relieve the difficulty. The :'amendmcnt'.; of the' Old Age : Pensions Act /would- involve an expenditure' of a further three-or, four millions."'Mr.'Crooks (Labour).'described the'Kiiig's Speech as] all window-dressing;-;^^ changes were, a bogy,. arid ' only useful for a few clerks.' Unless: the Government dealt, with;.the, unemployment / problem■ this. session, the Labour. Party ;■ would, raise a campaign' that; the; Government; would „be -sorry, for.';;' There had -beeri, a /'great .•betrayal of 'starving people. ./;...//-; ; : V v.::^-- , .'/ Mr. Churchill (president 'of the' Board/of Trade) said the"exchanges were-the' gate-, way. of,.industrial/ security; .'Unemployment insurance' Would follow later,'; also, afforestation/; and/Sweated .industries bpards. ■: Tariff reform, as a. ■ solution", was* a mockery .'of'irrelevance and', impertinence/ :".-:,.-' :■.,.',. V -. ■ The first''amendment was defeated-by.205 io-i0r..'...-: ; r : ;.';.-'. ; -: ; ; "-',':''^-'/'/v; ; h' ; ' ;

COMMENTS BY THE BERLIN; PRESS. ;;: .;;,;';CORra .Cordial Preferences .'to -the King's-Speech bave.been-made by the: Berlin 1 Press.-.;. ■; The ''Vossisohe v JZeitung":.'states . that, King Edward's; visit: is'having better political : than, was .anticipated. l in Ger- ■ many. The .•. icp .has : been .broken, ■'.,; and,-. a period' of' angry .and suspicious discussions is past. ■"■:':'■.'.'■':■:'-. . •'m ; ; ; ■■'■■ ■"-'.'■ 'S\ ■•"<';•..-. '•''•".•'■:','.' ':