BRITISH POLITICS

Southland Times, Issue 14579, 21 November 1910, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS

THE COKING DISSOLUTION MR ASQUITH RETICENT. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright). LONDON, Nov. 19. Received Nov. 20, 5.5 p.m. Mr Asquith in the House of Commons said that lie would not prefer guarantees, and at the end of the debate he was besieged by demands to define contingent guarantees. Replying, he declared that he would continue to decline to make a statement regarding advise to the King, who must stand aloof from political conilicts. Lord Cromer and Lord Lansdowne questioned Lord Crewe on the same subject. Lord Crowe declined to say more than that if the Government was returned to power with a working majority he assumed that the Lords would give effect to .the will of the people. Liberal papers praise Mr Asquith’s courage and coolness in managing the crisis.

A feature of the debate was Mr Redmond’s sitting silent but radient. Conservative papers consider that tire cry against the peers is less of a driving: power than it was a year ago. • The Government’s critics complain that there is no justification for dissolution. The Lords had never seen the Bill which they are accused of refusing to adopt, contrary to precedent. The Government is using an expiring register though by waiting a few weeks it could have had a better representative register. Already there is a great outcry at the elections interfering with anl e-Christmas trade. The tyrannous action of the Government in not permitting the Lords to amend a Bill affecting their own fate is condemned. Although the Government declares that the election will be a straight fight on the Veto question, payment of members is thrown in as a sop to catch voters. The elections will commence on the 3rd.

Mr Asquith, replying to Air Locker Lampson, stated that the Imperial Conference would be held close to the Coronation.

The Times’ Dublin correspondent slates that payment of. members will create many independent candidates in Ireland and shatter Nationalists discipline.

Mr Lyttelton at South London stated that dissolution had been brought about in a tricky way by a slippery manoeuvre. Mr Bonar Law will contest North West Manchester. In the House of Commons Mr Barnes said that it was impossible for the Labour party to be associated with the Government until it and definite information of the Government’s intentions regarding the Osborne judgment. The Parliament Bill ought to have been before the Lords a month ago Instead of being discussed with closed doors. The House had not -heard’ a word regarding guarantees. Apparently the election would be fought on the same issue as that of January, and with the same register except for a number of workmen who bad been disfranchised owing to removals. Ho protested that the Government was not dealing with poverty problems which would not be solved by speeches at the City Temple. Mr Lloyd George, replying, said that the struggle with the Lords was full of difficulty and was not likely to be concluded if entered upon in a spirit of nagging. The spirit of comradeship was essential. Labourites -mere not the only people allowed to -talk of poverty and distress. Liberals had given pensions. SPEECH BY MB ASQUITH. NO MORE COMPROMISE. LONDON, Nov. 20. Received 21, 12.35 a.m.

Speaking at luncheon at the National Liberal Club, most of the Ministers being present, Mr Asquith received a tremendous ovation. He admitted that it was unusual for a Government enjoying thmconfidence of the people on all questions of general policy to find itself obliged to advise a dissolution. The, new circumstances demanded a new precedent. No House of Commons was more emphatically representative of the will of the people than that of 1906, yet measures embodying that will were thwarted and defeated by the House of Lords. The climax caiiie when the Budget was rejected. .The House of Commons which had been elected in January with a majority of o’TT a hundred was in favour of limiting the veto. After this truce they must relinquish their method of compromise as a thing which had been tried hut had failed. Negotiations were over and war had note been declared. Latest borough elections would be concluded on December 8. and the latest counties on December IT. This, lie considered, would be much better than that the election should remain hovering over the heads of candidates - throughout the Christmas season. The Liberals denied having proposed that there should be unchecked domination by a single Chamber. Surely Lord Rosebery was aware that they had been living, when the Tories were in office, under the yoke of single Chamber tyranny. The Liberals proposed to confine the second C!>.amber to those subordinate functions admittedly appropriate to such a body, and to secure a full and even working of the two Chambers for whichever party was in power. The representatives of the people were entitled to a controlling voice in both the policy and the legislation of the House of Lords. That ancient and picturesque structure, the House of Lords, was condemned by its own inmates as unsafe. Parricidal pick-axes wore already at work, and constitutional jerry-builders wore hurrying from everywhere with new plans. ME ASQUITH'S PROGBAMME. LONDON. Nov. 18. The House of Commons was crowded when the Premier moved that Government business take precedence and be confined to the Budget and discussion on the Income Tax, Tea Duties, Sinking Fund, and Supplementary Estimates, providing half a million for old age pensions until the end of March. Three days, he stated, would be allotted to the Budget, and the prorogation would take place on the following Saturday. It is intended next year to propose payment of members. An opportunity would be given to the Lords to decide their position, but they must accept or reject the Parliament Bill. Ho had hoped that the conference would reach, a settlement, but it was useless to attempt a settlement by agreement. Me would make next week a definite statement regarding the Osborne judgment. Mr Balfour said that the course taken by Mr Asquith was absolutely without precedent in the history of the country. Ho supposed the Government was afraid that the Lords would make proposals agreeable to moderate men, and thus advised a dissolution.

In the House of Hurds Lord Crewe made a statement similar to that of Mr Asquith.

DISSOLUTION ON 28th INST. LONDON, Nov. 18. Mr Asquith has announced tha the dissolution will take place on the 2Sth November. MB BALFOUR'S SPEECH. LONDON, Nov. IS. The Morning Post, hitherto one of Mr Balfour’s severest critics, rejoices at his Nottingham speech, which, it says, has at last given the party a responsible lead. Other papers are confident that the speecli will rally the moderates. MOTION 1 EY LORD ROBERTS. LONDON, Nov. 18., In the House of Lords, Lord Roberts gave notice to move: "That in view of the altered strategic conditions by land and sea in Europe this House views with grave and growing concern the inadequate naval and military arrangements,’’