SUNDERED PARTY

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 148, 19 March 1931, Page 9

SUNDERED PARTY

Liberal Leader Faces Another Crisis LLOYD GEORGE ANGRY By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright (Rec. March 18, 10 p.m.) London, March 18. The Government’s defeat on Monday has produced a new crisis in the Liberal Party. An emergency meeting of Liberal members of Parliament is being held to-night when, according to political correspondents, Mr. Lloyd George Intends plain speaking and will insist on an understanding on future united action. _ „ , , He is angered at the Liberals imperilling the Electoral Bill especially. His first thought was to retire from the leadership of the party, but he has decided to make another effort to consolidate it. , Sir Archibald Sinclair, Chief Liberal Whip, has offered his resignation owing to Monday’s split vote. It is recalled that he only accepted office on the understanding that the party would hang together. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald states that on the report stage of the Electoral Reform Bill, he will seek to restore the clause abolishing University representation. EXPENDITURE CUTS Special Committee Set Up PERSONNEL ANNOUNCED (Rec. March 18, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless. Rugby, March 17. The Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, in the .House of Commons to-day announced the constitution of an independent committee set up “To make recommendations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for effecting forthwith all possible reductions in national expenditure on the supply services, having regard especially to the present prospective position of revcnu6« w The Prime Minister said the Government had consulted the other two parties, who had agreed that the committee should consist of a chairman and six members, two being suggested by each party. When questions of policy were involved in expenditure under discussion, these would remain for the exclusive consideration of Cabinet, but the committee could review and indicate the effect of particular policies upon expenditure. The chairman will be Sir George May, a prominent actuary, ex-secre-tary of the Prudential Assurance Company and a director of the British Overseas Bank, and the six members will be Lord Plender, Sir Mark Jenkinson, Sir Thomas Hoyden. and Messrs. Ashley Cooper, Charles Nathan and. Arthur Pugin WOMEN PENALISED Marriage Nationality Problem (Rec. March 18, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless. Rugby, March 17. The Foreign Secretary, Mr. Arthur Henderson, this afternoon received a deputation of women members of Parliament from all parties, who asked the Government to facilitate the passage of the Nationality of Married Women Bill. The Foreign Secretary said the Government fully sympathised with the principle that women should not be required to change their nationality on marriage, without their consent. He pointed out that the League Council last January decided that the whole question of the nationality of married women be placed on the agenda for the next assembly meeting, and expressed the hope that an international agreement on the question would be reached. If substantial progress were not made at Geneva he suggested that the women’s organisations should, after the assembly meeting, request the Government to introduce legislation.