HOME POLITICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2090, 15 March 1894, Page 16

HOME POLITICS.

Special —By Telegraph— Copyright.

London, March 6. The World says Mr Gladstone declined a peerage either for himself or wife. Sir Sackville West has been made Privy Councillor. The newspapers bear evidence that Lord Rosebery's foreign policy aud influence will strengthen the position of the Government. It is not thought any amendment is likely to be moved to the Address-in-Reply when Parliament reopens, and the debate will be limited to three days. March 7. Scotch Liberals have asked Mr Gladstone to continue to advise the Government. Sir F. C. Lascelles, British Envoy at Telieran, will succeed Sir R. Morier as Ambassador at St. Petersburg. It is expected Mr Herbett Gladstone will become Commissioner oE Works; Lord T*e-dmoutb (Mr Maijoribanks), Privy Seal ; Lord Re"- y, Under-secretaiy for India; and Mr G. W. E. Russell, Under-sccretary to the Home Office. The Chronicle considers Sir G. R Dibbs in his reply respecting Mr Pcsel's paper has destroyed, the defence set up by the Treasury. Mr Shaw Lefevre succeeds Mr H. H. Fowler as President of the Local Government Board. Mr T. Shaw, member for Hawick Burghs, succeeds Mr Asher as Solicitor-general for Scotland. Mr Labouchere intends to introduce a bill enabling tbe Queen to give her assent to bills which have twice< passed the House of Commons if rejected by the House of Lords. He will move that Irish prisoners be amnestied. The Welsh members ihteaten to revolt unless Lord Rosebery promises to bring in a Disestablishment Bill before Parliament is prorogued or dissolved. The Duke of Devonshire, speaking at Keovil, paid an elcquent tribute to the retiring Premier. He went on afterwards to say that the Lords challenged an appeal to t')o country on the Home Rule question. They would stand no jerrymandering of constituencies under the guise of registration. Mr Gladstone has caught a bad chill, and is confined to his room. March 8. The Duke of Devonshire, speaking at Yeovil, said the House of Lords intended to reject the one-man- one-vote principle, but will assist in strengthening the Navy.

Mr Chamberlain pair! a visit to Mr Glad- j stone and expre? s*A regret at his retirement. Several Nationalist members disappro\ c of Mr M'Oarthy's pacific attitude towards the new Prettier, and threaten to break away from their allegiance. Mr Herbert Gladstone succeeds Mr Shaw Lefevre as Commissioner of Works without a seat in the Cabinet. March 9. Lord Tweedmouth takes the Privy Seal, Lord Reay the Under-secretaryship for India, and Mr G. W. Russell the Under-secretary-sbip for the Home Office. Mr Gardner denies that he has retired from the Presidency of the Board of Agriculture. The Parneliites demand that Lord Rosebery shall give an assurance that he will perseveie with the Home Rule Bill. Mr Herbert Gladstone has finally decided to take the Commissionership of Public Works. j The Parneliites have issued a manifesto declaring they have no confidence in Lord Rosebery, and urging Irishmen to terminate the policy of subservience to English political parbies. March 10. It is officially announced that Sir F. O. Lascelle3, British Envoy at Teheran, succeeds Sir R. Morior as Ambassador at St. Petersburg. The Times urges Lord Rosebery to dismiss Viscount Oxenbridge, Master of the Horse, on the ground that his name is mixed up in scandals connected with the Liberator Building Society frauds. March 11. A forecast of the Queen's speech, to be delivered at the opening of Parliament, has been, published. In it her Majesty states that Great Britain's foreign relations are satisfactory, and regret is expressed at the resent disaster which befell tbe British troops operating against Fodislah on the West Coast of Africa. With regard to the increase in naval defences, it is mentioned that an estimate has been drawn up, in which adequate provision is made for an increase. Included in the legislation to be couBidered during the session will be bills dealing with the following questions : — Local veto, one-man-one-vote, evicted tenants, disestablishment of the Welsh and Scotch churches, lecal government for Scotland, and the establishment of a board of conciliation. Reference is made in the Speech to the improvement in the state of affairs in Ireland. - March 12. The Queen's Speech promises the introduction of a Registration Bil], and makes reference to the pai ley ings regarding the Russian frontier in Central Asia, and to the convention with China respecting the Burmese frontier. The forecast of the Queen's Speech is correct. It expects an early and equitable adjustment of all frontier questions with Russia, and says that negotiations are in i progress for the execution of the Lebring Sea Commission award, the necessary inquiries being made in a calm and dignified spirit. Reference is made to the deplorable collisions with the French troops in Western Africa. Agrarian crime in Ireland has been reduced under the working of the ordinary law to the lowest point known for 15 years. The bills to be introduced include (beside those already mentioned) measures for equalising the rates in London and amendments of the Factory and Mines Acts. March 13. The London Chamber of Commerce is urging Lord Rosebery to take step 3to reassemble the Brussels Silver Conference. Sir W. H. Houldsworth, member for the North-west division of Manchester, will move the amendment to the Address-in-Reply to the effect that the Brussels Silver Conference should be called together again. Parliament opened yesterday, and after tbe Queen's Speech had been read notice was given of the introduction of the principal bills mentioned in the Speech. In the House of Lords the Marquis of Salisbury said that in justice to England and Ireland it was urgent that an early appeal to the country should be made on the Home Eule question. Lord Rosebery said that recent incidents in Egypt showed that vigilant supervision was necessary in that country for some time. He promised to bring down a bill to enlarge the powers of the London County Council. Referring to tbe Home Rule question, he said it> was not intended to reintrodnce the bill this session, but an appeal would ba made to the country when the Government considered the time was ripe for such a proceeding. He entirely agreed with Lord Salisbury that before Home Rule was conceded to Ireland, England must be convinced of the justice of the change. He implied that proposals would be brought forward later on for granting Home Rule to Scotland and Wales in order to relieve tbe Imperial Parliament. The . Address-in-Reply in the House of Lords was agreed to. In the House of Commons Mr Balfour entered an incisive protest against the shelving of the Home Rale question. Mr Howard Vincent, member for Sheffield, moved an amendment to the Address-in-Reply, declaring that the condition of trade and agriculture and the unemployed question require serious attention on the part of Parliament. The amendment was negatived by a large majority. Messrs Redmond, Clancy, and Labouchere will move further amendments. The Times, commenting on Lord Rosebery's speech, says the revolutionary effect of his admission that it was necessary to convince England of the justice of Ireland's c'aims for Home Rule dwarfs the rest of the debate and reduces the agitation against the House of Lords to the rankest absurdity. By his admission Lord Rosebery virtually acquiesced in tbe arguments of his opponents. Tbe Daily Telegraph says that both sections of the Irish party are dissatisfied at Lord Rosebery's declarations with regard to the Home Rule question. Tbe Welsh party claim second place on the order paper for the Welsh Church Disestablishment Bill. The Budget will be brought down about the middle of April.

A storekeeper named George Anderson has mysteriously disappeared from Masterton, and the official assignee, on the petition of Wellington creditors, has appointed a reoeiver and manager of the estate,