BRITISH POLITICS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 8 February 1908, Page 3

BRITISH POLITICS.

„ .(Press AssoclAttoa.— GetnMGHT:) Xims iaiPßiliAL ' parliament. • ■„ LO^SON. In the House 8t L.Cdmmons Sir W. Hojlanci 0^4 '.' ' Tnajt it is highly important in the interests of .trade and commerce "to raise the Board ofe Trade to a, S3cret S ryi*^ O x SlhU." Mr Bonar liatt' seconded. Mr Asquith, Chancellor of the Exchequer, admittine the desirableness »f raising the status of the -Board, and advised inquiry relative .to ■tne' status and emolument v of,.all.<Jepartmpn4s,,.a.nd. l alß3 l ,tfe fd-dißtribu-tion of autiea,,wun a view to increasing their efficiency. The amendment was subsequently withdrawn. r . -Mr,F. E.- Smith (C.) moved an •amendnient; regretting that the plenipotentiaries aftTho Hague Oonference,^ad beea unauthorised to forf,™. wdudtion. O f international armaments by assenting to ths prlueiple of immunity from capture of -thf. enemy's lneMhantmeiii Sk&eHt «n carries ;bUte-t? a ßa"na in war t j& fcrd W Foreign. gecre . tary, sal d »ho Powers agree^ to -sucn reduction of armaments as was likely ,tp pinunißh apprehenßion of war. The was bound te Qdaslder 82- ■^ l * ! *-i cie i t s e 1 »™«"4««i* from the stanappbt,of, the Sxisting ,§ tuaforcing a 6olh*nfißn wfth respect to An enemy's private property- in war ••line. Britain's ability to end a =var depended on her sea power, if priv a ;te oP w B? H^. were immune- the ,-OTgiif'!; means of commun^tioo be operand undisS **• "?"* of commercial blockade would also be .surrendered wd the t enemy 's-whel*) trade , would unmolested, . -.'lf Was. difficult to ,|ee how hostilities .could .ever Li in -nese circumstances; The Govern ajont^coald not incur R.rlsfc -^ di . S'.'PsWyVefave moans of .coercing an enemy. (Cheers,) • '■'£'■ be ' amendment was .withdrawn. ■:,.ftr Gilbert Parker fal sutfflit ed me the Geveraffient for not safeSuardihg the interests of the civil 36 ™»ts in the Transvaal Churchill, Under Secretary for the Colonies, denied that lit Botha had dismissed British to make room for Dutchmen. The Colonial Office try to find employment for Hevfl i that t|e Transvaal Government contemplated a pension scheme. '' j--?t am ! ndm6nt was withdrawn, _'nd the address in .reply was agreed ■ There w*s an interestinp debate in -he >House ' of . Lords on, the AngloBussian. agreement, ."'liord Curzon rejojeed. ftt the harmonious relations ;;eßtablished with Sussia. Referring-to Persian spheres s of influence, he severely criticised /he concessions made to Eussfa, especially the one . involving the admission of the Caspian' as a Russian sea. Lord Curzon said that British commercial and other Interests in the greater; part Of Persia had been sacrificed Without the agreemtn containing any^Eussian assurances about the •Persian .Gulf. That . omission was niost unfortunate, and personally he did not feel .that 4he argument would conduce to the. security of India, pf property in Persia, or' of peace in Asja. Lord Curzon continued to say Britain gained nothing in Afghanistan in return for the substantial concessions in Persia. Although Russia had: admitted. that -Tibet was outside her sphere of influence, the agreement conceded Russia rights equal; with. Britain, whose predominance in •■•Tibet lad been thrown" away. Lord .Cromer supported the agreement. „-.••'.. . Lord Fitzmauri'cej Under Secretary i or Foreign Affairs, said that if concessions had been made to Russia corresponding . advantages had been :secured for Britain. It was wise- to ■•^"S •'* ng d nseless struggle wi^h Eussia. Some most important wade routes: mv Persia were still in British han^s,. and Britain's position in -the Persian Gulf was well defined, and any /mention in the agreement would not ;h#e strengthened' it, for Britain's relations in the GuTf were not arguable.; Lord Fitzmaurie* said that' Wfa'ding Tibet the Soyenuntntihad ■fojlo'we4 its jsredeees6O»*s policy. i" ' Thsdfibstgj^as BdJQuraea, 2L> -