BRITISH POLITICS

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 148, 10 March 1923, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS

LIBERAL REUNION MR. ASQUITH HOPES IT WILL COME QUICKLY PARTY HAS NO QUARRELS WITH LABOUR Mr. Asquith says lie is all for reunion of the Liberals, and remains in public life only in order to help to reinstate the Liberal Party tn, its rightful position as the responsible custodian of the national fortunes. Bl" TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION. —Copyright. London, March 8. Mr. Asquith, at Cambridge, dealt with the question of Liberal reunion, and particularly with Mr. Lloyd George’s speech at Edinburgh suggesting a conference to accelerate reunion. Mr. Asquith said: “I am all for reunion. I believe it inevitable, if we go the right way to secure it, but we ought not to be content with sentimental phrases. I held high office for eleven years. Does anyone suppose that I’have not satisfied my .ambitions? 1 only remain in public hie in order to help to reinstate the Liberal Party in its rightful position as the responsible custodian of o'ur national fortunes; but there is no piace for mo and my friends in a Centre Party. I ask if that idea has been definitely abandoned. I hope Liberal unity is coming quickly. Here is no barring a door which is always open. -It has been suggested that one result of the reunion would be a new programme. What is that to bo? Will it bo the slogan of a combined campaign against Labour by tho United Liberal Party? That does not appear a sound or attractive watchword. Liberals have no quarrel with Labour as such; they share many aims with the more responsible sections of tho . Labour Party. Liberals .need a tenacious adherence to their old principles and organised propaganda, not by clap-trap rhetoric, but by appealing to history, animated by a sympathetic understanding of tho needs of tho family of nations.” —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. CENTRE PARTY IDEA ABANDONED BY NATIONAL LIBERALS London, March 8. Mr. Lloyd George has announced that the National Liberals have abandoned the idea of the Centre Party. He considers that no Liberal as a condition of reunion should bo asked to change his opinion regarding the policy or tlio Coalition Governments from 1915 to 1922. “Aly Edinburgh speech,” ho said, “was tho reply to urgent representations received by. Mr. Asquith and myself from all parts of the country in favour of Liberal reunion. My earliest offer to confer with the leaders of the Independent Liberals met no response, but I repeated that it is still open.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SYSTEM OF PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION NOT FAVOURED BY PRIME MINISTER London, March 8. Mr. F. O. Roberts (Lab.), in the House of Commons, pointing out that tho successful candidate at Mitcham only obtained 38 per cent, of tho votes polled, asked Mr. Bonar Law if he would introduce tho system of proportional rei>rcsentation before the general election. Mr. Bonar Law said: “I am not prepared to adopt the suggestion.” Air. Roberts: “Haven’t you a fellowfeeling for members returned by minority voters?” Air. Bonar Law did not reply.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. [The voting in Air. Bonar Law’s electorate, Glasgow Central, at the general election, was: Right Hon. A. Bonar Law (C.), 15,437; E. R. Mitchell (Lab.), 12,923; Sir George Paish (L.), 2518.] BESTOWAL OF HONOURS LEGISLATION TO BE INTRODUCED London, Alarch 8. Lord Curzon, in the House of Lords, declared that the Government intended to introduce legislation to give effect to tho recommendations of the Royal Commission on Honours. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. MAJOR HILLS RESIGNS London, Alarch 8. Air. Bonar Law has accepted Alajor Hills’s resignation.- —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. [Alajor Hills, Financial Secretary to tho Treasury, was defeated at Edgehill by a Labour candidate.] CABINET APPOINTMENTS London, Alarch 8. Official.—Tho Right lion. Neville Chamberlain has been appointed Minister of Health, and Sir William Joyn-son-Hicks has become Postmaster-Gen-eral.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. MINIMUM RATES OF WAGES MOTION TO INTRODUCE BILL NEGATIVED London, Alarch 8. The House of Commons debated Dr. A. Salter’s (Lab.) private member’s motion, urging the Government to proceed without delay on a Bill introduced in 1919, constituting a commission to iiii’t.'ire into legal minimum rates of wanes. Ho said that we- were getting back to the level of wages in 1834. The principle of the minimum wage was in active operation in Australia, Nov Zealand, and elsewhere. Alajor Boyd-Carpenter, Parliamentary Srterctarv for Labour, replying, said that the national minimum wage had been tried and proved a failure. It had been turned down by tho Trad® Unions Congress. Trade boards wore

already fulfilling tho functions for which tho members opjwsito asked. Air. A. Henderson (Lab.) said that tho Labour Party was not asking for ti flat rate national minimum, wage, but for minimum time rftt-ea, which was a very different thing. The motion was negatived by IoJ votes to 176.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.