IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 97, 19 December 1912, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

THE DISESTABLISHMENT BILL

(By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.) London, December 18. On the ciau.es dealing with churcn money prior to 1.662 an acrimonious debate arose.

Lord Robert Cecil declared that often a man with the touch of hell lire on his brow gave money to the church.

air. Booth objected to the contention that the hulk of the money came from men feeling that they had sinned.

Mr. John Ward objected to the Government’s hard bargain, and opposed the secularisation of religious funds.

Mr McKenna intimated that he was prepared to accept two Liberal amendments leaving Queen Anne’s bounty intact. This concession, involving £15,000, inflamed the Welsh Radicals, who subsequently decided to vote against the proposal. Lord Robert Cecil’s amendment to appoint committee of jurists to decide what were private beneficiaries prior to 1862 was negatived.

TARIFF REFORM

(Received 8.0 a.m.)

London, December 18.

‘The Times’ states that the larger section of the Unionists are averse to the food taxes, preferring a referendum, while the smaller section, estimated at thirty or forty per cent., is favouring tariff control by the party machine.

Lord Curzon, speaking at York, said tli© supreme duty on the Unionists’ part was to sustain the attack on the Govern moot rather than publicly discuss what wheat or corn duty should be imposed at some future unknown date.