BRITISH POLITICS

Gisborne Times, Volume LX, Issue 9797, 6 May 1924, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS

THE LIBERAL DEFEAT.

FOREGONE CONCLUSION AFTER ULTIMATUM RUMOR,

LONDON, May 4. United Press Association—Copyrlt^t

Tlie Daily Chronicle says the defeat of the Proportional Represe’ntation Dill was a foregone conclusion, after Conservative newspaper/ had described its support as a Liberia! ultimatum to Labor.

Cabinet on Thursday decided to support the second reading of the Bill? but later it decided on a freei vote because the rank and file were obsessed with the idea the Liberals wetre trying to force Labor’s support. The House’s decision. thus was reached upon wholly irrelevant grounds. The majority included all the Conservatives ejlcept a dozen, and 77 Laborites. The minority comprised 210 Liberals, a handful of Conservatives and Laborites, including Mr Snowden, Messrs Thomas and Jowett, and Miss Bondlield. —A. and N.Z.O.A. “NO VITAL HOPE FOR EMPIRE.” WHOLE-HEARTED CONDEMNATiON OF SNOWDEN. LONDON, May 4, Mr J. L. Garvin, writing in the Observer, says: “There could be no vital hope lor the Empire; no future but a gradual freezing to extinction if Mr Snowden’s icy touch on the Dominions proved to be the best Labor could do. No sense of kinship warns him towards them. He gives them the cold stone of negative pre-war creed. “The wonderful companionship in the struggle and sacrifice which is a sacred memory evermore to some of us, is nothing to him. He neither speaks their language nor understands it when it is spoken. He responds as little to General Smuts as to Mr Bruce. “He does not know what the weakening of the whole idea of Imperial Conference signifies—what tlie leelings of the Dominions are, or bow grave be makes the danger to the whole system of Imperial Conferences on their side.”—Sun Cable. “PREFERENCE MERELY POLITICIANS’ PLAYTHING.” LABOR JOURNAL’S COMMENT. LONDON, May 4. Tlie Daily Herald, in an editorial on Labor and the future of the Empire, says: “None of the Imperialists really understand the British Commonwealth of Nations. They arc living in the past. Labor looks to future, and sees that common aims and ideals will be a far stronger bond between Britain, tlie Dominions and India than artificial trade arrangements or naval and military fetters. Labor recognises tlie fact that the days of old exchange of manufactures for tlie colonies’ raw material are passing and that the Dominion are seeking to manufacture their own raw material. Free trade within our Empire would he worth something. It might lead, to world free tiade, but preferences are merely politicians’ playthings, devised chiefly with the object of keeping the Empire together as a war power."—A. and N.Z.O.A.

AUSTRALIA’S VIEW. NSW AVENUES MUST BE FOUND. SYDNEY, May 5. Mr Wearne, Minister of Lands, stated that the action of the British Government in turning down preference for Australian products had considerably hampered the carrying out of tlie immigration agreement- with the Imperial authorities, as preference had been one of the vital clauses ck the compact. Dr. Earle Page said: New avenues will have to be found ior the distribution of our surplus products. B ALDWIN OUTLINES UNIONIST POLICY. L VBOlt GOVERNMENT'S SHORTCOMINGS.

LONDON, May 4. Mr Baldwin, in outlining the policy of the Conservatives, said that they were examining the Insurance, Housing, and Factory Acts with a "view to co-ordinating legislation. I hey were also inquiring into retail profits to ascertain whether people were obtamino- food as cheaply as they shou.d. Criticising Labor’s policy, he said that the abandonment of the Singapore scheme and the rejection ol preferences showed an incapacity to take a long view ,which was often a weakness in leaders of democracy.—Sun. PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION BILL. LIBERALS FURIOUS AT DEFEAT. LONDON, May 4. An analysis of the voting of the Proportional Representation Bill shows that 77 Laborites voted in. favor or rejection, including hair the Cabinet, while the other half joined the Liberals. Liberals in the Lobby are furious with the Labor opposition, which they interpret as a vindictive, studied move to flout their request for support. There is a hint of intention to declare war on the Government once the Budget is out of the way. Reuter.