MR. BALFOUR'S CRITICISM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14302, 23 February 1910, Page 7

MR. BALFOUR'S CRITICISM.

GOVERNMENT AND LORDS.

(Received February 22, 11.55 p.m.) London, February 22. In the House of Commons, Mr. P. H.lllingworth moved, and Mr. 0. Price seconded, the adoption of the 'Address-in-Reply. ■'■/.■ /;. Mr. A. J. Balfour said he. had heard; with pleasure that a substantial increase'in the cost of the navy was proposed. He hoped the Government '. was prepared to face the situation and do what - was necessary for -the naval defence of the Empire' .- .'' , " The reference to the Lords , was highly ambiguous.' It seemed to embody .. two different policies forced into the framework of one ungrammatical sentence. The group system in■';. Parliament was responsible for 'the difficulties of securing a direct 'mandate from the country. • It was unreasonable that a Parliament, elected for such >' a diversity of reasons as the present [should claim a mandate to alter the Constitution.

MR. ASQUITH'S INTENTIONS.

THE ROYAL PREROGATIVE.

NO GUARANTEES RECEIVED. (Received February 23, 12.15 a.m.) London, February 22. Mr. Asquith, who, ' followed Mr. Balfour, . explained that he had' not 'intended to convey in the Albert Hall . speech that the Liberal Ministry would not meet the Commons unless they previously secured a guarantee regarding the exercise of the Royal prerogative. | _ ■ ,

"I have.received no such guarantees," he went- on. '.;■"I have not asked for them. It is the duty of Ministers to keep the Sovereign outside party. If the occasion should arise I would not hesitate to tender such advice .to the Crown as the exigencies of the situation might render necessary. To ask in advance for the indefinite exercise of the Royal prerogative regarding a measure not even submitted to the House of Commons is a request no constitutional statesman could properly make and no Sovereign could be expected to grant. (Opposition cheers.)

"If the machinery of Government has not come to a standstill, an Act must be passed redeeming the Transvaal war loan of 1900, and £21,000,000 Treasury bills must be paid before the end of March. The army, navy, Civil Service, and old age pensions will come to a standstill on April 1,. unless supply is voted. The Government proposes a short adjournment for Easter, but will dispose of the Budget and veto resolution before the middle of April, the latter not to be submitted to the Lords but to be an authority for the Government in framing its Veto Bill. London, February 21. Mr. Asquith states that he intends first to introduce the Budget, and then to submit a resolution which will form the foundation of the Veto Bill. : > The Bill itself will be introduced after the extended vacation, in the middle of April.