THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1910. THE BRITISH SITUATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14300, 21 February 1910, Page 4

TH E New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1910. THE BRITISH SITUATION.

I The political situation at Westminster becomes more complicated as the time approaches when the Asquith Government must announce its intentions. An appeal, was made to the country for a majority in the House of - Commons . % sufficient to carry the Budget, referred by the Peers to the People, to sweep i away the constitutional veto-power of the House of Lords, to carry a Home Rule Bill which would satisfy the Irish Nationalists, and generally to place the United Kingdom and the Empire at the disposal of the Asquith party. While such a majority was still possible, however improbable, Mr. Asquith announced that the Liberal party would refuse to accept office excepting ; upon their own terms, distinctly implying that he would ask of the King an undertaking to create :■ sufficient new peers to overcome i any resistance which might be offered by the hereditary chamber. This was a heroic policy, requiring for its accomplishment a, heroic majority approaching that which carried the great Reform Bill against ' •;• all opposition. Unfortunately for Mr. Asquith and his- colleagues, the heroic majority has not been obtained. Had the United Kingdom returned to Westminster a

solid phalanx of 500 members t< support the * Government, then would have been>po question as t( the outcome. The Peers would hav< " bowed to the inevitable; the King would have recognised the unmistak able will of the People and hav< constitutionally co-operated with th< Commons to effect drastic constitu . tional reforms. But the electors re fused to come to the aid of the Go vernment. They practically destroy ed the majority possessed by the Liberal party and left Mr. Asquitl absolutely dependent upon the sup port of the Nationalists and th( Labour Party. Even with the alii artce of these irregular forces, the Government can only count a ma jority of some 120, and cannot counl on this for every issue. In New Zealand we require a three-fifths majority for the closing of hotels in the United States a two-thirds majority is required for any consti tutional amendment; it is, therefore; preposterous to think that in thf United Kingdom a bare majority should be able to close the House oi Lords or make other sweeping and revolutionary changes in the most ancient of modern political systems. Mr. .Asquith can therefore expect nc extraordinary assistance from the King, but must fight his political battle and overcome his political difficulties in the ordinary way. II is certain that he cannot, in the new Parliament, browbeat the House ol Lords, f It is more doubtful if ht can carry his Budget even througl the Commons. It is idle for hin to talk of enacting a Home Rule Bill. It has been loudly claimed, by Asquith supporters, that they won a great and glorious victory at the polls but as we pointed out, when the returns were being completed; another such victory would see the present Government driven headlong from office. As things are, an impassable entanglement confronts them. The pressing necessity of the moment is to fill the exhausted Exchequer, demands upon which are being made by an issue of promissory notes unprecedented in time of peace. Mr. Asquith appears to be now quite willing to concentrate his energies upon the passing of a Budget, but this suggestion has already aroused a chorus of dissent from the allies upon whose support he depends. The Labour party is reduced in numbers, but is as insistent as ever that a direct and immediate attack shall be made upon the House of Lords and threatens to force another election upon that issue. ; The Nationalists not only realise that the prospects of a Home Rule Bill are hopeless" as long as the House of Lords stands in the way, but are bitterly divided upon the Budget itself. So. that it is extremely doubt- ! ful whether Mr. Asquith, in spite of his alleged victory at the "polls, can hold office for a week after Parlia- ! ment commences businesswithout Unionist support. If it had been suggested a month ago that Mi". Balfour might keep Mr. Asquith in office, nothing but derision would have greeted the idea. Yetb this would seem to be a possible alternative to another and immediate General Election. It is probably correct to say that Mr. Balfour is not anxious to accept office under existing circumstances, for even though another appeal to the country might give him a working majority, it would be a herculean task to extract the national finances from the chaos into which they have drifted. And it goes without saying that if the Government resists any attempt of the extremists to make the question of the veto take precedence over the Budget the Unionists will not take that opportunity to win a victory. As for the Budget, in the 1 face of the Nationalist opposition to several of its clauses, and consider- j ing the strong Labour objection to other clauses, it can in any case only be passed in an amended form. The financial confusion is already so great and is increasing so rapidly with every delay, that moderate men of both the great constitutional - parties may remember that whatever else happens "the- King's - Government must be carried on," and may tacitly combine to, make mutual concessions and thus carry a modified Liberal Budget safely through both Houses. If Mr. Asquith , should decide upon this, and .if he further abstains from any attack upon the Lords until that Cham be has had an opportunity to discuss and submit to the Commons proposals for its own voluntary reform, the present crisis may be tided over. But this involves the withdrawal of Nationalist and Labour support, r and consequently can only put off for a few months the necessity for another General Election in order ;to decide more definitely into whose hands the governance of the United Kingdom and of the Einpire shall be given.