BRITISH POLITICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18557, 18 May 1922, Page 4

BRITISH POLITICS.

An unexpected defeat of the British Government in a'division on the Teachers’ Superannuation Bill, which is recorded in our cable news this morning, has created a great deal of excitement in political quarters and has led to specu-, lation upon the question whether Mr Lloyd George will tender the resignation of the Ministry to the King. It will be observed that it was in a thin House and by an extremely slender margin of votes that the Government found itself in a minority. That is not, however, a circumstance which necessarily negatives the suggestion that the Government may resign. It was just such a “catch” division in a small House in 1895, upoji a motion to reduce a Ministerial salary on the ground that the supply of cordite ammunition in hand was insufficient, that caused the resignation of Lord Rosebery’s Administration. And if the Coalition Government at Home has been “riding for a fall,” its defeat upon a proposal which is part and parcel of its economy programme affords it the pretext it may desire for an appeal to the country. This view is strengthened in some measure by the fact that the division in which it was beaten was brought on prior to the hour when its supporters had been, warned by a “whip” to be in the House. "Whether Mr Lloyd George would have elected, as the time for a dissolution, the weeks immediately following the failure of ,the Genoa Conference is, of course, doubtful, but the omens have this year become increasingly less favourable for him since the Irish Treaty was signed. Moreover, if he makes up his mind to resign he will still go to the country with the knowledge that there is no leader in sight in the anti-Ministerial forces who can command a strong party following.