IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 30

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

EDUCATION AND LICENSING BILLS. LONDON, March 4. The Free Church Council delegates, numbering 2000, unanimously resolved to support the Education Bill after listening to Dr Clifford's passionate appeal on behalf of the Government. He declared that the bill was. farseeing and broadbased, and was a courageous measure, while the Licensing Bill had never been surpassed for comprehensiveness, justice, and wisdom. March 6. Lord Shaftesbury ha-s notified that if the Education Bill becomes law he will resume possession of seven Anglican schools in Dorsetshire, and will not allow the State to appropriate them. March 7. In the House of Commons the bill introduced by Mr Henry Walker to ena&le County Councils, except that of London, to delegate to local 'education committees their duties connected with elementary education was read a second time by 196 votes to 58. THE BRITISH NAVY. LONDON, March 4. During the d«bate on the Navy Estimates. Mr A. H. Lee complained of the Government's modest constructive programme, which would not maintain the two-Power standard. If the present policy were continued, in * 1910 Britain would not be superior to any two Powers in ships of the Dreadnought type, but would only be equal to Germany. Mr G. Lambert (Civil Lord of the Admiralty> affirmed that Britain held a position of overwhelming strength. H« said he viewed with great complacency the programmes of other Powers up to 1916. He hoped the Rosyth naval base would be available for use in five or ten years. Mr Balfour declared that the Naval Estimates were illusory, and that Britain must rise enormously in future years, unless the two-Power standard was to be abandoned. EMPLOYMENT OF CHINESE. LONDON, MaTch 5. In the House of Commons Mr C. Fenwick moved the appointment of a select committee to inquire as to whether the Merchant Shipping Act was sufficient to enable the Board of Trade to prevent abuses arising out of the employment of Chinese in the British mercantile marine. Mr H. E. Kearley (Secretary of the Board of Trad«) admitted that the employment of Chinese had increased, and that the marine superintendents believed that the recent legislation was likely to accelerate that tendency. The Board of Trade would nip in the bud abus«s threatening to defeat the objects of the act. The motion was then withdraws. A BYE-ELECTION. LONDON, March 4. The bye-election for Hastings, owing to the resignation of Mr Harvey Ducros (C), resulted in the return of Mr Arthur Ducros (U.), a son of the retiring member, who polled 4495 votes. Mr R. Vernon Harcourt (Liberal) polled 3477. Mr Ducros attributes his victory to his attitude on tariff reform, particularly in relation to colonial preference. THE DEAR LOAF. LONDON, March 5. In the House of Commons Sir J. F. Leeee moved that as the high price of bread was due to natural causes, tbe levying of an import duty on wheat would aggravate tbe suffering caused by~*dear bread. Mr E. A. Golding moved an amendment declaring that the high price of bread was due to natural causes and the neglect of British resources, and expressing an opinion m favoxrr of a r«anangement of the duties on food products, with a view to encouraging agriculture at Home and giving preference to the colonies by gtimulating the productive power of the Empire. He censured the Government for refusing to stimulate the production of wheat within the Empire by granting the colonies preference. Mr Lk>y4-George, who replied for the Government, said that Germany was supplying 4 sufficient warning against the adoption of' the amendment. There lla duty wa* paid on all imported wheat, and the" 6ame diuty iras paid upon all German home-grown wheat. M> GokUng'a amendment was rejected by 293 to 90. The debate was then adjourned. WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE. LONDON, March 7. Members on arriving at> the Hous« of Commons to-day were much astonished to

see a banner inscribed " Vote for women " flying steadily over Parliamentary Buildings. It was subsequently discovered that this gentle reminder to legislators was suspended in the air by means of a war kite, and was handled from the roof of a warehouse at Lambeth.