HOME POLITICS

Evening Star, Issue 15074, 4 January 1913, Page 5

HOME POLITICS

IS DISSOLUTION NEAR? ELECTION PLANKS DISCUSSED". Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. T LONDON, January 3. .there are many comments on Mr Asnuith.s hint of the possibility of an appeal to the country. ' Mr Bonar Law has accepted the hint as a challenge.- ; Ministerialists regard the statements merely as,points made in debate. A member of the Government, who conceals his identity, predicts that next election will be based on the franchise, and not on Home Rule. The Labor view is that neither the . Unionists nor the Radicals want an election, the former being concerned about internal aifferences over Tariff Reform, while the: latter dread the antagonism caused in the country by Mr Lloyd George's Insurance Act. LIBERAL PRESS OPINION. LONDON, January 3. (Received January 4, at 10.15 a.m.) The Liberal organs declare that tho Government do not intend to precipitate a General Election, notwithstanding the temptation to do so arising out of the Unionists' embarrassments. UNIONIST LEADER'S DILEMMA. TARIFF REFORM SPLIT. . < LONDON, January 3. During an informal conference between Mr Bonar Law and the Lancashire Unionists, the latter emphatically opposed the inclusion of food taxes in tho Opposition's programme. .Mr Bonar Law promised to carefully consider their views. The Unionist groups representing the agricultural divisions also met, and decided to urge on the party leaders the elimination of food taxes from their programme. HOME RULE. CALM AFTER STORM. LONDON, January 3. _ The- discussion on the Home Rule Bill is lifeless. Six clauses were reviewed and then guillotined, and seven Government amendments were inserted without any explanation being vouchsafed. WELSH DISESTABLISHMENT. LONDON, January 3. (Received January 4, at 10.15 a.m.) In committee on the Welsh Disestablishment Bill, in the House of Commons, Mr George Cave's amendment, excluding the border parishes, whereof 14 are wholly in English dioceses and- 6 in Welsh dioceses, was negatived by 204 votes to 56. THE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME. FRANCHISE BILL. LONDON, January 3. . The committee stage of the Franchise Bill begins in the last week in January.