Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, FRIDAY, JUNE, 19, 1931. POLITICS IN BRITAIN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17498, 19 June 1931, Page 6

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, FRIDAY, JUNE, 19, 1931. POLITICS IN BRITAIN

A not lior so-called crisis in Hit* political situation in Great .Britain lias been overcome. The Liberals, presumably having demonstrated to their satisfaction that although they comprise only a very small minority in the Houstythey effectively hold the balance or power, have accepted a compromise which both they and the Government regard as satisfactory. So far as can bo gathered, neither side has been called upon to make any material sacrifice of policy, and having kept the country in a state of suspension for a few days both parties are now prepared to settle down again and continue the political mockery which is proving so detrimental to the welfare of the nation. The “crisis" over the land tax measure was cer

tainly unexpected. (Juito recently there was a general feeling (hat llio understanding between the Socialists and the Liberals was of so definite a character that any serious breach — with a consequent dissolution —was almost an impossibility. On top of this, the Budget provision for the taxation of laud values met with suHi warm commendation front Mr. Lloyd George that nothing seemed more unlikely than that, there would arise a dispute concerning details of the measure which would prove to be beyond compromise. Yet tor some time the reports of lobbyists made it dear that there was a general beliei that, the Government was actually in danger ol defeat. Whether this was so probably will never be known, but threats of such an event have proved so Iroqriont during the life of the present Parliament that it cun hardly lie wondered at if they arc not taken seriously. Xor will it be known, until it actually occurs, whether the Government, is reullv in earliest when it declares that an adverse vote, will be accepted as one of no-conlitlenee. It was defeated this week on u clause in the I.and Tax Bill, and although it had announced that amendments could not be accept ed, the Prime Minister promptly assured the House that the effect of the motion was not material to the measure. In this instance he may have been right, but the fact remains that formerly ihe Ministry suffered reverses on half a dozen occasions, not on minor matters, but on such important policy measures as the Trades Disputes Bill and the Electoral Hill. This would nil seem lo indicate 1 hat the one absolutely unchangeable policy of the Labor Government is that it should cling to the reins ol office just as long as it .is humanly possible to do so. The question of whether this attitude, and the legislation which results from it, are in the

interests of the country is regarded as of purely secondary importance. To all .intents and purposes the Government has been as definitely defeated in the House as it lias been discredited in the electorate, but it refuses to accept the one or test the other. On its own measures it has saved itself by discarding ils principles; it has survived the challenges of the Opposition, not on ils merits, but because the Liberals and Labor malcontents know Hint to force an election would be lo precipitate their own eclipse. The numerous by-election figures in the last two years toll this so clearly that they cannot be ignored. Without one single exception Iho voles east for Liberal and Labor candidates have declined, while in a majority of instances, even with much smaller polling, the Conservatives have strengthened their position. Air. Llovu George showed his appreciation of the situation, when, during flic last no-con-fidence debate, he remarked: “When I feel disposed to vote against the Government, I just look round and see who will follow." Air. Brockway, loader of the Independent Labor group, acknowledged it when, after remarking that “the little minds and little proposals of the Government fii'leu him with utter despair," he said ho was voting with the Government because he did not think Iho Conservatives would do any belter. Jn the face of such comment by those who keep it in oliice, how can it be said that the Government possesses tlie confidence of the House? How long this farce will continue is beyond conjecture, but the one gleam of hope seems to lie in the continued disintegration of the Liberal Daily. There has been a .steadily-growing revolt against the negative policy of Air. Lloyd George until now he commands the support of only 117 of his followers; the remainder have already asserted their independence, and it is at least within the bounds of possibility that their numbers will continue to grow until they are in a position to rid the country of a Government which lacks real support in the House and respect in (lie electorate; and which, by its extravagance and inellicicney of administration, lias crippled enterprise and rendered impossible any restoration of that confidence which is so vital to a revival of industry and a return to prosperity.