IMPERIAL POLITICS

Otago Witness, Issue 3509, 14 June 1921, Page 19

IMPERIAL POLITICS

BY-ELECTIONS. LONDON, June 7. The St. George’s by-election resulted as follows: Erskine (Independent Conservative) Sir Robert Jessel (Coalitionist) ... 0558 [At the general election Mr W. Long (Co. U.) polled 10,453 votes and Mr H. G. Mackenzie Bell (L.) 1140.] The newspapers describe the victory of Mr Erskine (the anti-waste candidate) in the St. George’s by-clection as the heaviest defeat the Coalition Party has hitherto sustained. Mr Erskine fought entirely on economy. Anti-Semitic influence helped Mr Erskine, who condemned the expenditure on Palestine. . June 9. The Heywood by-election for the seat formerly he’d by the Right Hon. A. H. Illingworth (Co.-Lib.) resulted: Walter Hill (Labour, elected) 13,530 Colonel England (Coalitionist) 13,125 Mr Pickstone (Liberal) 5,751 INCREASE OF POSTAL RATES ABANDONED. LONDON, June 9. Mr F. G. Kellaway (Postmaster General) announced in the House of Commons that in response to protests from business interests he is abandoning the increased rate on foreign printed papers though it means dropping £300,000. In speaking in the House of Commons Mr F. G. Kellaway (Postmaster-General) announced the appointment of a council of 20 business men to assist in the economical management of the Post Office, including Sir Allan Anderson, of the Orient Line. GENERAL. LONDON, June 7. After rejecting an amendment for rejection tlie House of Commons passed the second reading of the Industries Bill by 301 votes to 92. In the House of Commons, rcplj ing to a question, the Under-Secretary for the Colonies said he had no information whatever that Australia had passed reciprocal legislation on the subject of the Maintenance Order Act. Any suggestion urging the need for such legislation to the Imperial Conference, in view of the hardship caused to wives deserted in the United Kingdom by Australian soldiers, would be considered. June li. The Supplementary Estimates provide for £15.260.000, of which £9,000,000 goes to liquidate the railway agreement, and £6.000.0060 for coal importations to maintain utility services during the strike. The House of Commons read a third time the Marriage With Deceased Brother’s Widow Bill.