LATE CABLES

Evening Star, Issue 18534, 17 January 1924, Page 6

LATE CABLES

press Association —By Telegraph-—Copyright ASSAULT ON THE GOVERNMENT. MR MACDONALD’S SPEECH. LONDON, January 16. (Received January 17, at 11.35 a.m.) Is the course of his speech, the Labor loader inquired pointedly whether or not Mr Baldwin had abandoned his Protection policy. He (Mr MacDonald) was not sure. Ho was sorry that no party had a majority, but he was not at all sure that the practical working out of a minority Government might not bo good exercise for the independent intelligence of members of all parties. He urged that in the unparalleled political situation the House should not merely pursue th* old-fash-ioned party tactics. He said that no party could take the responsibility to-day without feeling that it would rather avoid it if it could, because the state of Europe and affairs at home were so bad, but the nation’s Government had got to be carried on. Ministerial cries: "The King's Government.’’ Mr Macdonald: “I cannot make a distinction of that character. (Labor cheers.) Whoever carried on the Government under these circumstances was entitled to appeal for the fair play and sportsmanlike instincts of Englishmen. So long as they did their duty and helped the people of the country they were entitled to appeal for the support of the House.—Reuter. CLASS HATRED CRY DEPRECATED. LONDON, January 16. (Received January 17, at 11.45 a.m.) Mr MacDonald’s speech generally showed recognition of the serious domestic and international situation, but his accusations of class hatred were ludicrous. No class in the country could fairly be branded ns possessing hatred, which was foreign to the British character, and is found solely in the writing and speeches of those endeavoring to instil it into Mr MacDonald’s followers.—Reuter. THE PREFERENCE'ISSUE. SOUTH AFRICAN VIEWS. CAPE TOWN, January 16. ' (Received January 17, at 11.50 a.m.) The view of the South African Government is that Mr MacDonald's resolve to leave his followers free to vote as they please on Mr Baldwin’s Preference proposals gets over an awkward difficulty. The constitutional practice is that if Mr Baldwin is still in power he is bound to submit the proposals to Parliament, unless he dissented at the time, as General Smuts did in 1921 regarding the Indian question. If another Government takes office it is bound to give Parliament an opportunity of assenting or otherwise, as the Government initiates all proposals involving taxation.—Sydney*' ‘ Sun ’ Cable. QUEENSLAND FIRES. BRISBANE, January 17. (Received January 17, at 11.10 a.m.) Two big fires are reported, an hotel and six shops being destroyed at Winton, with damage estimated at £50,000, while the Post Office and - a number of shops were burned at Laidley, the damage being £20,000.—A. and N.Z. Gable. ASSASSINATION FRUSTRATED. LONDON, January 16. (Received January 17, at 11.15 a.m.) The ‘ Daily Express’s ’ Berlin correspondent states that the secret police frustrated an attempt on the life of Von Seekt, the military dictator, by arresting in a popular cafe a man whom they allege to belong to the gong which planned and carried out the assassination of ex-Minis-ters Ewberger and ’ Rathenau.—A. and N.Z. Cable.