HOME POLITICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14224, 22 November 1909, Page 5

HOME POLITICS.

IRELAND'S OPPORTUNITY.

GLORIOUS VICTORY ASSURED.

By Telegraph.— Association.—Copyright London, November 19. Mr. John Redmond (Leader of the Irish party in the House of Commons) has cabled to Mr. T. P. O'Connor, who is on a financial mission to America in the interests of the Irish party :—" No such opportunity has been offered for Ireland to strike for liberty since Grattan moved the declaration of independence. If the Irish Nationalists abroad and at home act unitedly in this supreme hour, a glorious victory is assured."

The Dublin correspondent of the Times reports that, Mr. Redmond's Home Rule declaration was extracted by the criticisms of his own followers concerning his attitude towards the Budget, and by the fierce onslaught of the Sinn Fein party. He adds that it is the Nationalists' only chance of regaining popularity.

LIBERALS AND THE LORDS.

THE TAX ON FOOD.

London, November 19.

Mr. R. B. Haldane, in the course of his speech at : the Eighty Club, said that the only thing which would stimulate socialism into danger in Britain was a tax on food, but there was a third issue. Since the Constitution became what it was, no step so violent or revolutionary had been taken as the rejecting of a Budget. The question was whether the second Chamber could be tolerated in the form in which there was virtually only a single Chamber when the Unionist party was in power.

ABOLITION OF UPPER HOUSE.

WHAT LABOUR WANTS.

(Received November 21, 6 p.m.)

London, November 20.

The Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress urges the Government, in the event of a dissolution, to give the country the long-desired opportunity of recording its judgment on the desirability of abolishing the hereditary Legislative Chamber.

TARIFF REFORM V. SOCIALISM

BUDGET LAND CLAUSES.

London, November 19.

A large non-political meeting of auctioneers and estate agents in the Cannon-street Hotel unanimously protested against the Budget land clauses.

Lord Charles Beresford, speaking at Portsmouth, declared that the Budget would increase unemployment. The issue before the country was tariff reform with a strong navy versus socialism.

LIBERALS OR LABOUR.

MINERS' REPRESENTATIVES.

London, November 19.

The executive committee 'of the Miners' Federation has decided that Messrs. T. Burt, Liberal-Labour member for Morpeth, and C. Fenwick, Liberal-Labour member for the Wansbeck division of Northumberland, cannot be exempted from sign- : ing the Labour ticket.

(Received November 21, 6 p.m.) London, November 20. Northumberland miners are heartily supporting Messrs. Burt and Fenwick.

The Standard reports that negotiations are proceeding for a modus vivendi between Liberals and Socialists at the election.

' Both Messrs. Burt and Fenwick represent miners in Parliament, in which the former has held his seat since 1874, and the latter since 1885. Mr. Fenwick was an opponent of the Coal Miners' Eight Hours Bill. A cable published a Few weeks ago .stated that " regret and surprise are expressed in trade unionist and Labour circles in' the North of England at the decision of Messrs. Burt and Fenwick not to take the pledge of the National Labour party, as they had been requested to do; by the Miners' Association. Some leading Labour men declare that there 'is. no room in the Labour party for those who are more sympathetic with Liberalism than with Labour."

FREETRADE AND COTTON. London, . November 19. The Free Trade League ■■ of Manchester has issued a manifesto detailing the circumstances of the cotton industry, and demands the maintenance of free trade. (Received November 21, 6 p.m.) London, November 20. Mr. Balfour, in a letter to a correspondent, says that a tax on raw cotton was never contemplated. Such a tax, he says, would evidently violate the fundamental principles of fiscal reform. , THE HOUSING BILL. (Received November 21, 6 p.m.) London, November 20. The House of Lords has agreed to the points enumerated by Mr. John Burns (President of the Local Government Board) as vital to the Housing and Town Planning Bill. MR. GLADSTONE'S SEAT. (Received November 21, 6 p.m.) London, November 20. The Liberals of West Leeds are inviting Mr. Thomas E. Harvey, Warden of Toynbee Hall, to contest that seat at the next elections in the event of the present representative, Mr. Herbert Gladstone, accepting the Governor-Generalship of the South African Union.