SUMMARY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7021, 8 January 1910, Page 1

SUMMARY

The Earl of Crewe, speaking at Hyde, *ui<l that if the electorates confirmed, the action of the House of Lords, the Lords would claim the power of amending finance, and their grip upon the country would be permanently fixed.

The Master of Elibank. in his address to the electors of Midlothian, says that, owing to tho Lords’ action, it is neceswary to place upon the statute book an Act to insure that in the matter of taxation the will of the people’s representatives should be supreme.

Mr Winston Churchill, in his Dundee campaign, advocated the nationalisation of the railways, but added that it would be unthrifty to nationalise land Upon Iho terms which the landlords would n«-k. Ho favoured payment of members of Parliament.

Sir Edward Grey, at North Berwick, declared that the Navy was in a position to protect Britain from any probable combination of fleets. Lord Milner, in an address at Wolverhampton. said : “We Tariff Reformers stand for the whole policy of taxation of foreign imports and food duties as proposed by Mr Chamberlain.”

The Tariff Reformers are opening sornllcd “ dumping shops ” in London and the Midlands, m which are exhibited aims, cycle fittings, and clothing as object-lessons in regard to foreign conipetition. Lord Rosebery declares if his scheme for amending the constitution of the Upper House were adopted, and he were elected to it, he would vote against the Government, because opposed to them on three out of four main issues.

Many of the peers who are stumping the country are not experienced talkers, and they are much heckled at'the meetings. In some instances the hearing given them ie unobjectionable. but they are subject to rough chaff. Mr Balfour, at Hanley, said many foreign statesmen were agreed that a conflict between Britain and Germany is inevitable, and this had led prominent non-official Germans to declare they would never allow Britain to 'adopt Tariff Reform.

Several of the leading German organs deprecate the sensational tone of the speech, and are sorry that Mr Balfour could not bring himself ,to disclose tho names of the Germans using the threat. These newspapers declare that' every intelligent German knows that Mr Chamberlain’? tariff reform scheme is purely a question of British internal politics. Mr Asquith, 'speaking at Bath, mad© a strong reply to Mr Balfour, and, said Britain# naval position was unassailable in equipment, organisation, and distribution.

The foreign horizon was perfectly clear, and the references to Germany could only have bo?n intended to inflame feeling for election purposes. Seventy thousand miners are idle in. Northumberland and Durham, and very little coal is reaching the ports. Th© ( miners ’expect a settlement,, but the union officials are pessimistic.

The British Government has granted X 20.000 towards Captain Scott's projected Antarctic expedition. This ensures the expedition being able to start in July.

The Clyde Navigation Trust is constructing a Dreadnought graving dock, having a length of 1020 feet, and a width of 110 feet.

The Bank of England rate of discount has been reduced to -1 per cent. Sir Edward Robert Murray has been sentenced to six months' imprisonment for obtaining credit at hotels to the extent of J 2165 without stating that ho was an undischarged bankrupt.

Germany’s first flotilla of turbine tor-pedo-boats, most of which can make thirty-four knots .an hour, was commissioned on Wednesday.

The Chief of the Russian Foreign Office Department in the Far East Uas been dismissed for alleging that, Japan was preparing to attack Russia.

" The Times ” correspondent at Bombay states that the prisoners at Nasik “barged with the murder of Mr Jackson include many students.

The Criminal Daw Amendment Act of 1908 applies to the Bombay Presidency, shortening political trials, and empowering the suppression of unlawful associations.

The liner Xorse Prince has been abandoned on fire at the Island of Ascension, Ship and cargo are valued at ,£177,000.

The owners of the steamer Wakefield, ft'hich will leave Turban for Adelaide at the end of the month, have offered to undertake a search for the Waratah for ,£3OOO.

Sir John Forrest, Federal Treasurer, Is going to England after the elections in connection with the flotation of the Kaval, loan.

Judge Rodgers has been appointed to hear the charges against Mr Peter Bowling and the other leaders who attended a strike meeting on the South Coast last week.

Tho “Sydney Morning Herald's" final estimate of the New South. Wales wheat yield is 25,500,000 bushels,..an average of U bushels to the acre.

Captain of No. 1 Company Auckland Garrison Artillery, has been dismissed from the volunteer service in .consequence of a letter he wrote to tho Minister of Defence a few weeks ago. At a parade of Captain Knyrefct's comipuny, last evening a demonstration was •laido in his favour.

Feeling in regard to the case is said U run very high, not only.in volunteering circles.

The steamer Waikare, which was lynched on Stoney Island, in Dusky Sound, slipped back mid sank in deep water on Wednesday night.

.In the play-off between Grierson • and Mason lor the New Zealand chess champ onship the fir-t game was drawn. Anoticr game was commenced, and is still unfinished.