IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 64

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

LONDON, March 1.

Mr Kearley's amendment favouring to.-? early denunciation of the Sugar Conventio'i as negatived by a majority of 65 votes

Lord Stanley, in the House of Commons, replying to Mr Bhownaggree, said the Government did not think furtlitl lepresentations to Australia relative to mails would be useful, especially sine. 1 ? ther.e> was no reason to believe the Common-

wealth had abandoned tho idea of a weekly service.

March 2. Mr Buchanan's amendment urging a reduction of the State expenditure was negatived by a majority of 49.

Mr Donelan's amendment regretting that nothing had been done to improve the lot of Irish agricultural labourers was negatived by a majority of 44. The Address-in-Reply was carried by a majority of 60.

March 3.

During several snap divisions in Committee of Supply the Opposition greatly reduced the Government majority. Once it was only 24, whereupon there were lo\id cries of " Resign !"

The Navy Estimates 4 amount to £33,389,000— a reduction of £3,500,000 on those submitted last year.

The new programme provides for one battleship, four armoured cruisers, six ocean and 12 coastal destroyers, and 11 submarines.

A special committee of experts, of which Sir John Fisher will be president, nas been appointed to study the designs of different types of fighting ships, thus enabling the navy to immediately benefit by the experience of the Japanese-Russian war.

The Irish Times states that Mr Wyndham tendered his resignation as Chief Secretary for Ireland, but that the Cabinet, although not unanimously, resolved not to accept it.

March 4.

The Government has approved of a private bill bringing foreign ship owners within the law regarding the detention of a ship when workmen are injured. The bill has been read a second time.

The bye-election for the Appl.eby division of Westmoreland resulted in the return of Mv Jones i-i-uueral), who polled 2922 votes. Mr Noble (Conservative) received 2702 votes. At the general election in 1900 the Liberal candidate who was elected received 2835 vot.es and the Conservative candidate 2256.

March 5.

In the Buteshire election Mr N. Lamont (Liberal), who polled 1460 votes, defeated Mr E. T. Salveson (Tory), who received 1426 votes.

[At the general election in 1900 Mr A. Graham Murray (C.) polled 1241 votes, and Mr N. Lament (L.) 1046 votes. The Liberal vote thus shows an increase of 414 and the Conservative vote an increase of 185.]