IMPERIAL POLITICS

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13874, 10 April 1909, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS

•WELSH DISESTABLISHMENT". Press Associalion-By Telegraph-Goprriglifc LONDON,,ApriI* 7. iMr Asquith has announced the introduction of the Welsh Disestablishment Bill on March 21st on the lines of the Bill of 1895. ~ ' . Sir George Kckewieh, member for Exeter, lias introduced a Bill'enabling Church of England and Nonconformist preachers to exchange pulpits, under, certain safeguards. HOT-HEADED ADMIRAL. Received 4.15 p.m., April 9th. LONDON, April 8. '■■ Admiral Smith Dorrien, at*'.a- Con-' servativo meeting, declared:'that Sir Henry Campbell, Bunnernian's remains should bo hanged in Trafalgar Square, , because he betrayed his coouutr.y. ,?o. \«"j?;-s Several Radicals urgently touglit"* r discuss this language iii the, Tlo'ijb ( f Commons. The Speaker refused to allow it, on the ground that a retired admiral was beyond official control. ALLEGED CABINET DISSENSIONS. THE ARMY AND NAVY. / Received 10.50 p.m., April Bth. •', LONDON, April 8. Constant meetings of the Cabinet have given currency to rumours/ that further friction .has occurred/among the members over the Budget.' y In the House of Commons the Army Annual Bill was road a third time. It contains clauses enabling the colonial legislatures to apply the Army Act to local forces, and a clause making' . the members of colouial forces subject, to the Army Act when training.'in the United Kingdom. / The Bill provides for billeting : the Territorials on private individuals when inns arc unavailable. A discursive debate preceded Pnrliav .'' ment's adjournment to the 19th. ..' A vain appeal Avas made to -tin) Government to enable Parliament to present a united front by an assuranceof the building of eight Dreadnoughts' at the earliest possible date/' Mr McKuna, First.Lord of the Admiralty, in .replying to Mr J. Grctton,.admitted that Germany during the past five years had made provision for 50 and Britain for 49 destroyers. Only, four of Britain's were complete and, ready for sea, as compared with 30, completed by Germany. Mr McKeniia added that on the other hand Britain., had ordered 36 so-called coastal destroyers, which arc now'armed as firstclass torpedo, boats, whereof, thirty had, been delivered. Mr John Burns stated that the .approaching abolition of pauper disqualification would mean, the addition' of 217,000 old age pensioners, and an additional cost of £2,256,800. CONTRABAND OF WAR/ Received 12.30 a.m., April 10th. "LONDON, April 9. Several important discussions took place regarding the Naval Conference definitions of conditional contraband. The ambiguity of tho French text suggests that foodstuffs, intended for the civil population in'an enemy's country, are liable to seizure, inasmuch as it specifies as contraband foodstuffs that are addressed to a trader there- who is known as supplying tho enemy. Sin E. Grey intimated that before the definition was ratified ho would make it clear that enemy means Government of an enemy. ■. .'