BRITISH POLITICS.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11863, 18 February 1907, Page 3

BRITISH POLITICS.

London, Feb 15 The "Suffragettes" are greatly dolj«rhted;that:Mr W H Dickinsoi has drawn first fplace in the. discussion ou the Womanhood Suffrage Bill ia the House of Commons The House of Commons, by 192 to 19, haa rejected Sir A F Acland , Hoo'd 7 3 motion for the issue of a Sflrit for the election fox Worcester. f Ihe Government did not resist the v motion. • Sir Ackland Hood later on i addressing the National Society of % Conservative Agents, described the I House of Commons' decision as an T inconceivably dirty trick. By the of Sir Ackland Hood's mo- | tion Worestser is practically disfran- | cbisod for at least another year. [I- Received Feb 17,4.47 p.m. > London, Feb 16 b Air Harold Cox; M.P. for Preston. ? moved an amendment to the" Address, 'declaring it desirable that the Colo- ; nial Conference should discuss matters of importance to the Colonies ; .more fully, especially the question of 'participating in the cost of defendHng the Empire. ■' Mr Balfour said we ought not to •V treat the matter in a bargaining spirit. He did not believe that their i i: joßval estimates would be diminished % by a] afthing if they lost the selfs■ governing colonies. While the colo- • njes, through the imperial eonnecf lion, acquired great strength and Security, yet the'conndcl;ic/n involved I; |hei±£ in some dangers owing to the \ Empire. torching world politics at ISiany points not directly concerning £the coloriiea. It was? irrfjiossible to Sgeriously asir the colonies to vote i money which somebody else would i spend. A more possible proposal would bo to arrange a treaty under P which the colonies would transfer •their troops and ships to Imperial il" control In. the event of Imperial coml plications, though he earnestly Neprecated even pressing that. While I'not abandoning hope q.f closer political relations between the Motherland ? and her colonies the ideal was not i now in sight. The loose organisation of the Empire had advantages and f disadvantages, but he was sure it i would be better to rely on voluntary ; assistance than attempt to give it a ; rigid and involuntary character. Mr Balfour continued to say: — - *'Wo get pjore out of colonial and local voluntary patriotic enthusiasm than we should by any hard and fast organisation." (Cheers.) Mr Winston Churchill described Mr Balfour's speech as inspired by profound political wisdom. Though *he services mutually rendered to -Sach other by the Motherland and the colonies' we,fe tery great, it would be wrong to draw Invidious ■comparisons of thebenefits reciprocal? interchanged within the Empire. This was not a business proposition but was based on tbe principle of family— it was not a syndicate. The Motherland declined to haggle and bargain with her children respecting" the precise afrtpunt of military con tribution they should nioko or. as to commerce treaties. Without tlie colonies we should still be compelled to maintain the fleet. But while lie deprecated any hard commercial bargainee held that it was the duty of the colonies to contribute as occasion arose to our common defensive fleedsi We make no demands whatever. They give vo)uDtarily ? we accept gladly, and we are content to wait for the solid broadening harvest of future years. The amendment was withdrawn. iff The Pi-ess, generally, applaud Mr Balfours and Mr Churchill's policy concerning Imperial defence.