BRITISH POLITICS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 300, 7 December 1922, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

AGRICULTURAL REFORM URGENT.

APPEAL BY MR LLOYD GEORGE.

London, Dec. 6.

In the House of Commons, Mr Lloyd George, supporting the National Liberals’ amendment to the Addross-in-Reply demanding an inquiry into British agriculture, said that from the viewpoint both of production of food and employment of labour, drastic and farreaching steps were necessary to deal with agriculture. No civilised nation neglected agriculture to the extent Britain bad. There was no more serious feature of Britain’s life than population of the rural areas. Only nine per cent of the population lived there. There was no country in the world, except Russia, where employment per hundred acres was less than in Britain. Labour cries: Why didn’t you do something? Mr Lloyd George: I made efforts, though 1 was not satisfied with them. During the war we increased the production of food enough for fourteen to nineteen million people. The House was half empty when Mr Lloyd George rose to speak. When his name was flashed on the indicators in the library and smoking-rooms members flocked back, headed by Mr Chamberlain end Mr Bonar Law, and the House was soon crowded.

Mr Lloyd George was evidently purposely non-provocative and non-critical of the Government. He added that upon the recorganisation of Labour largely depended whether unemployment would be a permanent menace to Britain. Mr Bonar Law, replying, said the main expedients discussed for dealing with agriculture were generally protection or subsidies. The latter had been tried and proved a failure. The former was barrod. He agreed that many aspects of agriculture needed investigation. He could not accept the amendment, but promised inquiries on many of the matters raised.

Sir R. A. Sanders, replying, said he pirposed to appoint a departmental committee to inquire into the differences in prices received by the producer and paid by % the consumer. The amendment was defeated by 267 to 52. The Labourites and National Liberals did not vote.

The Address-in-Reply to the King’s Speech was carried without a division. —(A. and N.Z.)

REFORM OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS

NO IMMEDIATE PROPOSALS.

London, Dec. 6. In the House of Lords, the Duke of Marlborough raised the question of reform of the House of Lords. Lord Haldane said he doubted, if Ihe Government was justified in bringing forward any substantial measure for reform without submitting the matter to the country. Lord Cave, on behalf of the Government, said there was no question of repealing the Parliament Act, but the powers and number of the House of Lords must be dealt with as soon as posable. The Government had no present intention of making proposals to the House. Lord Birkenhead said the matter was one of extreme urgency, as the day was very likely approaching when a Labour Government would be in power.—(A. and N.Z.)