IMPERIAL QUESTIONS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13240, 21 March 1907, Page 5

IMPERIAL QUESTIONS.

PENNY POSTAGE.' 'United Press Association —Per Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON Much 20. ill' Asquifh, in replying: to-a deputation representing the various parties; in the House oI Commons, who asked-for pennypostage between -Great Britain -and the United States, was lion-committal. Heremarked that the Post, Office revenue had not reached expectations, and that further demands must probably be met owing to the inquiry of the Select Committee regarding postal servants.. Moreover,- it was .essential to know ' definitely whether the United States would' reciprocate in any step that might be taken. REFORM OF . THE LORDS. V;. LONDON, March 20. Sir IT. Canipbell-Bannerman, in. a letter to Mr Beaumont, a Member of the House of Commons, - declared. that, there was not an atom, of foundation ior the repoit, that , the Government, were not-in earnest- about reform in the House of Lords. u Sir Henry also wrote to ilr Mackainws, Member'for Newbury, that tlie Government would not disappoint- tlie expectations of, the party or fail to give elfect'to the purpose declared in the King's Speech. tht unionists and: Ireland v LONDON, March 20. Lord Abercorn introduced to Mr Balfour fifty delegates, representing the Unionist organisations in Ireland, who urged' the need for combating schemes in the direction of Home. Rule. Mr Balfour justified the Local Government Act as the outcome of a,' sound and ;faivsig'hted Unionist, policy, yet the information from all quarters that he had consulted showed that the dominant, party, in Ireland used it as ,a, - great electoral to-.'chine-yto promote Nationalist interests., while; .communities' interests were fatally 1 sacrificed. The inference was clear, that •those-"proving unworthy of the. trust, cpitferred upon them in small matters: could riot- be given, charge, of larger -issues. •• Mr Balfour added that the Government s policy- was a, deliberate raid iiitentional fratuL upon the electorates. Tliey aimed at a - certain - object; \ but believing that the leap required was . beyond -their will or the strength- of the people. tliey;peant to take two. .steps instead- of one step. ? ; but they meajit to get tliere. . Their attitude on the House, ; ,of Lords,, disclosed a, criminal' • leeialative. conspiracy. , lliey atlicked the of Louis piofessedlj because the, Lords, had amended the Education Bill .which nobody wanted. , The real attack was because the J-louse-of Loids was' tlie one barrier preventing the Constitution being thrown into- the,, crucible after every general election. He did hot: believe tint the electorates had changed one atom, but were as determined as evei* 1o- resist the- ultimate goal so. tortuausly sougliti by the Government. The Union-, i*ts relied' on the commonsense and patriotism of the n-ition to avert peril. They knew that Home Rule meant tlia ruin of great commercial interests in Ulster,, and unmerited injury on the loyal minority throughout Ireland —it meant, the greatest blow' to the - prosperity and greatness- Of the Empire.

PATENTS BY FOREIGNERS.

LONDON, March 20. In the House of Commons Mr LlovilGeorge,(Board of Trade) introduced a Bd to prevent obstruction to British-industrial development by the abuse of patents, Tlie Bill compels foreigners lo work .tlieir patents here, and prevents them imposing onerous conditions on Britishers using such patents.

VERY BUOYANT FINANCE.

LONDON. March ?0- ' Th* "Dailv Telersranli" estimates that the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mr. H. H. Asnuith, will realise a surplus ot £-5,000.000.

Tn tlie Budcet- introdncoil bv the Chancellor on. 30th Am il. 1906 for the year 1906-07 (Ist April to 31st March), the revenue - was-.ieSHmateed.. .at-.£144.8|M),00p on the ••existiiipr bnsis 0f,.-taxation, -ond ,ilie expenditure at 5W1.786J300 nn estimated surplus -of -Jp./i,074i000. , The surplus for 1905-06 was £3,465,620.