imperial Parliament.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12603, 5 March 1903, Page 4

imperial Parliament.

THE GALWAY VACANCY. THE PRIME MINISTER'S VIEWS.' Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, Marcli 3. (Received March 4, at 8.60 a.m.) Sir P. B. Finlay, Attorney-general, moved for the issile of a writ for the election of a nlember for Galway in place of Arthur Lynch. Sir S. Bartley moved an amendmeht against the issue of the writ during the present session. 'Mr Balfour objected to any disfranchisement of the electors without an investigation by a committee of the House. He- declared, moreover, that controversies between the House and constituencies had never been to the advantage of the House. He supported the motion on the ground of reason and precedent. Lord Hugh Cecil "and Colonel Kenyon-Slaney ' supported the amendment, which was liegatived by 218 to 145. The motion was then agreed to. . (Received March 4, at 9.29 a.m.) 3lr .Balfour declared that- if Lynch was admittedly a bnive Wan, then his constituency was less blameless than others who had elected both traitors and cowards. The minority included 43 tlnidnists and tart Liberals. THt! CHILIAN WARSHIPS. (Received March 4, at 8.50 a.m.) In the House df Commons Mr Balfour, in reply to a question, said that the Admiralty bad carbfiilly considered the offer to sell the Chilian arid Argentine battleships, but- had foitnd them unsuitable, and therefore it was not advisable to buy them. BILLS IN THE LORDS. (Received March 4, at 9.29 a.iii.) The Gordon-Bennett Motor Race Bill was read a third time in the House of Lords. PREFERENTIAL TARIFFS AND IMPERIAL DEFENCE. March 4; (Received March 4, at 11.33 p.m.) The Commons atfe discussing the supplementary vote for the Colonial Department. Mr Austen Chamberlain, replying to the allegations levelled against tile recent Premiers' Conference ill London by Messrs Edmund Robertson and T. Gibson Bowles, said thnt any increased contribution to Imperial defence must be free and spontaneous. The resolution adopted at the conference iii regard to prefereiitinl trade within the Empire was receiving the imperial Government's most careful attention. The Standard declares that the selfgoverning colonies cannot be expected to merge their own preparations in a general scheme bf defeilce until they are convinced that the Imperial army arid navy are administered on a thoroughly scientific aiid comprehensive' pian.