POLITICS IN BRITAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14345, 15 April 1910, Page 5

POLITICS IN BRITAIN.

AN UNPARALLELED SITUATION

SPEECH. BY MR, BALFOUR. REFORM OF THE LORDS. By Telegraph.-rrres? Association.—Copyright (Received April 15, 12.30 a.m.) London, April 14. Mr. A. J. Balfour (Leader of the Opposition) presiding at a luncheon at the United Club, said that the Parliamentary situation was unparalleled. 1 There had been no King's speech in the sense of a speech, announcing the legislative policy, which had been carefully withheld from the House of Commons, and was only now blurted out by Mr. Churchill. The only attempt at a King's speech was that offered by Mr. Churchill on Tuesday night, when he sketched a long scries of minor constitutional resolutions, the offspring of the greater one which he •and his friends were to endeavour to carry. All the talk about social reform "on the part of the present Government was gross imposture. Mr. Balfour incidentally mentioned . that he did not reject the idea of a referendum. He declared that the Conservatives favoured the introduction of an elected element drawn from the people, but it would be folly to make a second chamber wholly elective, for he did not desire to destroy the undisputed supremacy of the Commons. Sir Edward Grey (Foreign Secretary), in a letter to the Berwick Liberal Association, says that though supporting the veto resolution now under discussion in the House of Commons as one means of overcoming the resistance of the House of Lords, he does not consider it a final settlement. He directed attention to the second chamber's constitution and the powers included in it. He expressed the hope that the Budget would be passed with all its taxes, except such alterations as would be necessary owing to delay.

GUILLOTINING THE BUDGET.

O'BRIEN AND LLOYD-GEORGE.

London, April 13. The opinion is hardening that Mr. Redmond does not intend seriously to embarrass the Government in connection with Monday's motion for the application of the guillotine to the Budget debate. Owing to the veto debate, Mr. Win, O'Brien's statement in reference to the interviews with Mr. Lloyd-George has been postponed till Monday.