IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3395, 9 April 1919, Page 37

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

IMPERIAL PREFERENCE. (By Cable.) In tEe House of Commons during a discussion on the tariff Mr Bonar Law said the first need was to stimulate production. He repeated the Government's declaration of 1918 that it was intended to give effect to Imperial preference at the earliest moment. Britain's experience as regards sugar had showed the need for developing the Empire's production of that commodity. There was no guarantee that the war would have been won without the help of the dominions' troops. Was anyone prepared after that to say that Imperial preference would not help us ? Mr Chamberlain said he was now considering how to deal with the question in the forthcoming Budget. There would be no hedging or hesitation when the time came to frame a scheme. Mr Lloyd George's declaration regarding the key industries, dumping, and preference would be fulfilled in the letter and spirit, but complete examination was necessary. Mr Bonar Law, in the House of Commons, said the Government had completed a Bill to prevent dumping. The fiscal question must be considered apart from old prejudices. He was convinced that the. workers Avould see that Avages could not be maintained at their present level unless our markets were retained. The Government would survey the whole field and would present the House with a full and developed policy. .-'..- ! The debate was initiated by (? Major) Newman, who moved a resolution urging the Government to declare its polioy respecting trade and Imperial preference without delay. He instanced the hopelessness of competing with Japanese cheap labour. British industry could not lay plans for the future until the fiscal policy was revealed. The elections had given the Government a clear mandate for the Premier's declared policy of protecting key industries, Imperial preference, and the prevention of dumping. During the war Britain spent her substance, and must begin again to make her fortune. Sir Donald Mac Lean, in opposing the motion, said the previous speaker had said much about protection and little about preference. ■ DEVELOPING AGRICULTURE. In the House of Commons Colonel Sir A. Griffiths-Boscawen, Parliamentary Secretary to the. Board of Agriculture, said the Government had decided to introduce a -Biil conferring on the Board of Agriculture full Ministerial status, and completely " "reorgAhisihg"' its 'administration, • with a view to developing .agriculture. The Government hoped to restore or establish the production of many crops such as flax, hemp, and tobacco, also to encourage intensive culture. similar to France. The plans included a complete education system and experimental farms. THE FINANCIAL POSITION. Lord Faringdon, in the House of Lords, called attention to the country's financial condition. He said the burden was fast becoming insupportable. We were standing on the brink of a precipice. The country expected a more rapid diminution of expenditure, which should be limited to absolute essentials. Viscount Peel (Under-secretary for War), in replying, agreed that strict economy was necessary, but Britain stood first in the. attempt to finance the war ot*t of taxation, which was now £l7 per head of the.population as compared with £3 10s before the war. The expenditure had been reduced by £2,090,000 daily since the armistice had been signed. Lord Buckmaster estimated the national capital before the war at between £15,000,000,000 and £19,000,000,000, of which £7,000,000,000 had been lost, while the remainder had depreciated 50 per cent. Lord Buckmaster said the Government should ascertain the country's, maximum financial capacity compatible with existence, and forcibly compress expenditure within it. Lord Milner questioned Lord Buckmaster's figures, and doubted if the actual loss was in excess of £1,000,000,000; the remainder had merely changed hands. The idea that the country's valuation had depreciated nearly 50 per cent, was completely fallacious. A certain amount of borrowing must continue for the development of productive undertakings,- but the Watchword must be " economy and' increased production." The Government realised the gravity of the situation, but it was of no use to exaggerate. THE SERVICES BILL. There was a long and bitter debate in the House of Commons on the motion for the third reading , of the Services Bill. Labourites charged the Government with a breach of pledge to abolish conscrip>tion and -with embarking on a mad race for armaments. Mr Churchill defended the Government policy, which, he said, was designed only to maintain sufficient troops to reap the fruits of victory. A motion for the -rejection of the Bill was negatived by 282 votes to 64. The House of Commons largely rejected the Liberal amendments on the Conscription Bill. Mr Churchill pointed out the gravity of the European situation. He laid that 900,000 men was not an over large force in these perilous months. Mr Churchill, in the House of Commibns, promised a general inquiry into the operation of the field punishment "Number One," with a view to providing a substitute without impairing discipline. IMPERIAL CONFERENCES. » Mr Bonar Law said in Parliament that the Government would consult the doininion Prime Ministers before their departure regarding the time and method

of carrying out the resolution of the Imperial Conference recommending _ a special Imperial Conference to readjust the constitutional representation of the various parts of the Empire. INDEMNITY FROM GERMANY. In the House of Commons Colonel Lowther raised the indemnity question. He hoped there would be no truckling to America, and that our delegates would not be bound by President Wilson's higher philanthropy. Mr Bonar Law denied that there had been election pledges that Germany was to "pay the whole cost of the war. Investigations were proceeding with a view to obtaining the largest amount possible. In justice to other paits of the Empire, they would not be overlooked in the disposal of the money. POLITICAL UNREST IN IRELAND. Mr J. I. Macpherson (Chief Secretary for Ireland), in the House of Commons, said the political unrest in Ireland was unabated, and was accompanied by _ the cruellest outrages. He was determined to support the constabularly and military to protect law-abiding citizens against terrorists and assassins, from whom one of the most progressive countries in the world must be freed. Sinn Feinism menaced progress, alienated symathy, produced\ and maintained a deadlock, and stifled industries and social development. Tlie application of self-determination would mean the establishment of a Sinn Fein Republic in the rankest form. Present conditions prevented the Government from exploring all practical paths in order* to secure a generous settlement of problems which were even more pressing. INCOME TAX COMMISSION. In the House of Commons Mr Chamberlain announced that Lord Colwyn would be chairman of the Income Tax Commission. The dominions would not be directly, represented, but consulted with reference to the double income tax. Mr Bonar Law said that the Government was considering establishing a Ministry of Commerce. \ ALLEGED WASTEFUL EXPENDITURE, The House of Lords adopted a motion demanding an inquiry into the Slough Motor Repairing Depot, on which the Government has spent £1,100,000 and proposes to spend a further £600,000. The critics of the scheme declared that the depot was unnecessary, that the expenditure had hitherto been wasteful in the extreme, and that" it would be better to cut the loss. The Government vigorously defended the scheme, and welcomed an inquiry into it. Mr Churchill, replying to-criticisms of the Slough Depot in the House of Commons, said the House of Lords had forestalled the debate. There was no alternative but for the House of Commons to participate thoroughly in a searching quiry.THE LIBERAL SPLIT. . The Liberals met at the House of Commons, and rejected a proposal to form two distinct groups—lndependent and Coalition Liberals. The meeting decided to ask Mr Lloyd George to accept the chairmanship of the non-official Liberals.