ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20098, 8 November 1928, Page 11

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

DEBATE IN THE COMMONS.

ATTACK BY MacDONALD.

RELATIONS WITH THE POWERS. Australian Press Association —United Service Britißb Wireless. LONDON. Nov. 6. In the House of Commons this afternoon Mr. Ramsay Mac-Donald, speaking to the Address in-Rcply, began by saying: " This is a queer King's Speech. While the Ministry was signing the Kellogg Pact in Paris, it was doing its best to crib, cabin and confine the activities and developments of the League of Nations. Furthermore, the Anglo-French naval compromise was not an agreement to limit armaments, but an agreement not to limit them. "Britain is solely responsible for the suspicion which has been created and which has upset the confidence of all the nations of Europe. Did Britain undertake to waive her objections to the trained reserves of France ? If no notice is to bo taken of conscripted civilians, militarily trained, any disarmament agreement is not worth the paper on which it is written. " Has it been dropped ? Have we abandoned the round-table idea? Have we replied to America's Note?" Mr. Mac Donald invited Mr. Baldwin to answer these questions. He concluded by saying: "The curtain is raised on the last act of this Government's four years' sorry drama. The gallery is getting restive and wants the actors to have a rest. Labour is anxious for Mr. Baldwin to hurry the time when the electorate will give its verdict." Foreign Policy Criticisms. In reply, Mr. Baldwin said Mr. MacDonald "had not enjoyed the drama. " When wo meet again," he said, " there will be many changes. I hope they meet the satisfaction of the majority of the members." (Laugher and cheers.) Alluding 10 Mr. Mac Donald's disapproval of delay in regard to the Factories Act and unemployment measures, the Prime Minister said that except for (he legislation for the relief of industry and the measures mentioned in the King's Speech, there would be no time for other important legislation. The Government could not reply to the attack on its actions in regard to foreign relations until it had heard the full case of the Opposition. They had heard Mr. Mac Donald, but they had not heard Mr. Lloyd George. It would bo discourteous to the Liberal Party to attempt to deal with the criticisms in these circumstances.

Mr. Mac Donald asked whether the Government had no statement at all to make on foreign affairs. The Prime Minister replied that the Government had published a full White Paper on the Anglo-French naval compromise. It knew that later it was to be censured on that matter, and on that occasion the Government proposed to state its case. Government's Reply Deferred. Mr. Philip Snowden, Labour member for Colne Valley, supported Mr. MacDonald's demand for a statement by the Government on foreign affairs. In, the absence of such a statement, it was no use proceeding with the debate. Therefore, ho moved the adjournment of tlie House. Mr. Baldwin defended the absence of a statement by poiuting out that for many years the debate on the Address-in-Reply to -the' King's Speech had nearly always been of a general character. Ho understood that amendments were to be moved relating to the matters in dispute, including one by tho Liberals. The Government had been subjected to a great deal of criticism, and very hard things had been said of it in the country, and it desired to see what would bo equivalent to a vote of censure moved so as to observe whether the same things would be said in the . House as had been said in the country. The Government had a perfect right to reserve its reply for that occasion. In these circumstances, Mr. Baldwin said, ho could only congratulate Mr. Snowden on having gone back to the old constitutional practice of moving the adjournment of the debate at an early hour, and he had pleasure in accepting it. The motion for the adjournment was agreed to without division, and the House rose. Debate Opened in Lords. In the course of the debate • oil the King's Speech in the House of Lords, the Marquess of Salisbury, speaking for the Government', protested against tho description of "naval pact" being applied to what was really a provisional accord reached with tho French Government which the British Government had communicated at once to all the other. PowGis concerned. Undoubtedly that naval arrangement was now at end. It was confronted by a reception which was not at all encouraging.

Lord Salisbury said he greatly regretted that he did not know how tho problem of disarmament was to bo solved, unless there were preliminary understandings which would be communicated at once to the other Powers interested.