BRITISH POLITICS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10401, 15 July 1912, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

A BY-ELECTION. United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. London, Jnly 14. The Hanley by-election resulted Onthwaite, Liberal, 6647; Rittner, Unionist, 5990; Finney. Labour, 1694. ' Mr Balfour, during the Franchise debate, said the Premier occupied an absurd position while his colleagues defended the measure on?the ground that it gave everyone an ennal right. The Premier was cf opinion that to gra«t women the vote would be a national disaster. If the House accepted the Women’s Suffrage Bill the Premier would be bound to use Parliamentary machinery to effect what he considered a disaster. Mr Asquith repudiated the charge that the Bill was introduced to catch votes and expressed that it was the policy cf the Liberals advocated for thirty years. He did not think the House weald stultify itself reversing the previously expressed judgment on women’s suffrage. Sir E. Grey. Sir Robert Cecil and several Liberals tabled amendments admitting- women.