BRITISH POLITICS. THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 33, 8 February 1908, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS. THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

BOARD OF TRADE. SUGGESTED RAISING OF A STATUS. By Telegraph.— Pi ess Association.— Cop} right. LONDON, 7th February. In tho llor.&o of Commons yesterday, Sir W. H. Holland, liberal member for West Riding of Yorkshire, moved : — "That it is highly important, in the interests of trade and commerce, that the Department of t'ae Board of Trade bo raised to a Secretnrship of Stale." Mr. Andrew Bor.aj Law, Conservative member for Dnlwich Division of Cainbenvell, seconded. The Right Hon. F.. 11. Asquith, Chancellor of tho Exchequer, admitted the desirableness cf raking the status of the Board, but advised inquiry relative to the status and emolument of all departments, and also the redistribution of duties with a view to increasing administrative efficiency. Mr. G. N. Barnes, Labour member for Blackfriars, Glasgow, urged the appointment of a Minister for Labour, in order to avoid conflicting and overlapping authorities. The amendment was withdrawn. ADDRESS PASSED. LONDON, 7th February. In the House of Commons the Ad-dresa-in-Reply way agreed 10. The British Weekly recently relvarked : — Tho rs>romii:Mi<lat ; i»i that tho President of the Board of Trade rhoitlu hn\a the civile --tntm and salary as tin Sctretariob of State, has not caused any Biivprise., It is etrange, indroil, tliat so important a, post should still bo considered secondary in tlio official rank, and that the salary alts died to it rbouhl b<> only £2000, when Mr. Herbert Gladstone and 1 Lord Elgin receive £:000. A Cabinet Minister, living in what has boen considered a jsuilab'lc f.fylo, cannot savo anything on! of the lower salary for year" of Opposition : nnd .tensions for ox-llinistcn ra-e unpopular now amoijf* Liberals. Many of "Mr. Llovd-Georso's admircrtj would like to sec him dealing with somn of tho problems of Iho Colonial Office pr Homo OiKee, but his enccos? in his prosont pest has been so remarkable that bupiners men desire tc keep him there.' The kto Go\rr«wTent propozed to increase the Board of Trade Hilary, nr.ti oven if Mr. Lioyd Goorgc wore soon promoted to ,ir.oth(ir oiikeit would probably be raised.