IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 62, 6 November 1912, Page 6

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

THE HOME RULE BILL

Londoy,

November

Mr Balfour, supporting Mr Newman’s amendment to apply proportional representation to the election of the Irish House of Commons, argued that if it were adopted the Government would not be bound to follow the precedent in England. Ihe Government declined to amend the Bill in tins direction, on the ground that the Bib enabled the Irish Parliament, after three years, to adopt the principle if it choee.

. Mr Birrell (Secretary for Ireland) said it would be unwise to force a complicated system upon Ireland, where there were more illiterate electors than elsewhere.

The amendment was rejected by 2G5 to 162.

WOMAN’S FRANCHISE

(Received 11.0 a.m.) London, November 5

Mr Philip Snowden (Lab.) moved that votes should be given to the women of Ireland on the basis of the local government register. Mr J. E. Redmond urged that the matter be left to the Irish Parliament, Mr Balfour and Mr Ramsay MacDonald supporting the amendment. Mr Asquith (Premier) replied that there was no precedent for conferring the franchise on women in connection with the granting of self-government to the Dominions, and he re-echoed Mr Redmond’s opinion. The amendment was defeated by 314 votes to 141.