ASQUITH REFUSES TO TAKE BACK SEAT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 881, 6 December 1916, Page 7

ASQUITH REFUSES TO TAKE BACK SEAT.

DEFINITE SPLIT IN CABINET RESULTS. LATEST RUMOURS REGARDING RECONSTRUCTION. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received December 6, 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, December 5. The latest news .shows that the political situation is still difficult. Lobby opinion attaches great importance to Mr Bonar Law's efforts at conciliation. The general expectation is that Mr Asquith will not consent to be excluded from the War Committee. Mr Lloyd George still desires to be president of the Committee, retaining the War .Ministry, with Earl Derby, as Under-Secretary, performing the actual work of the War Office. The "Daily Chronicle" states: —"The Ministerial crisis developed yesterday. There is a persistent rumour that Mr Asquith will resign to-day. Mr Asquith has not yet abandoned the idea of reconstructing the Government, but the situation is not. hopeful.

"Messrs Lloyd George and Bonar Law have conjointly submitted proposals for a War Council with executive powers, of which the Prime Minister shall not be a member, but over whose decisions he shall have the right of veto. The War Council would then consist of Mr Lloyd George, Mr Bonar Law, Sir Edward Carson, and Mr Arthur Henderson.

"Though Mr Asquith is unable to accept thin proposal, lie favours a small War Council, but considers that he should be chairman. Otherwise he would be placed in a humiliating position, and lie prefers to resign. "Viscount Grey and other Liberal members of Cabinet support Mr Asquith.

"If Mr Asquith does not accept their proposal or resign, Mr Lloyd George and the Unionist members of Cabinet will withdraw, and the only means of escaping Parliamentary embarrassments would be a general election." The "Chronicle" adds: —"A strong effort is being made not to saddle Mr Reginald MeKcnna (Chancellor of the Exchequer) and Mr Walter Runciman (President of the Board of Trade), who desire to conserve the Empire's financial and shipping resources, , and are accordingly opposed to new military adventures overseas."

It is generally believed that Mr Balfour will shortly leave the Admiralty. Sir Edward Carson is his possible successor. Mr G. N. Barnes (Labour member for the Blackfriars Division of Glasgow) is likely to join the Cabinet.

The forward party in the House of Commons strongly supports Mr Lloyd George, and favours a drastic purge. If lie whittles down his original proposals, bitter disappointment will be produced, and Mr Lloyd George's influence will be paralysed. Old party lines have been largely obliterated in the lobby discussions, Commoners taking it for granted that they could adjust themselves to a new coalition as easily as they did to the old one. The Nationalists hold sternly aloof, while Labour opinion is generally neutral, although Labour members endorse the proposal that Labour should have a larger representation in the Government and be more actively associated with the direction of the war.

A meeting of unofficial Liberals, including Sir John Simon, Mr Augustine Birrell, and Mr C. E. 11. Hobhouse, attracted about 60 members, but the meeting failed to carry a motion condemning the forces which have continually sought to overthrow the Government.