IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14152, 11 March 1910, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

THE BUDGET. FINANCIAL CHAOS. P:ess Aasociation-By Telegraph-Copyright LONDON, March 9. The Radical newspapers represent the Government as seeking to arrange with the Nationalists to secure the passing of the Budget before a general election, in the event of a dissolution following the House of Lords' action over the veto resolutions. The "Daily Telegraph" 6tatea that Mr Lloyd George will abandon the new whisky tax in the next Budget. The "Daily Telegraph * says that owing to the financial chaos solicitors and trustees are at a loss to know the scale whereon estate and legacy duties are payable, and the final settlement of many valuable properties is impossible. MR HENNIKER HEATON. Received 9.35 p.m., March 10th. LONDON, March 10. Mr Henniker Heaton, in a letter to his constituents, suggesting that the elections be held in June, announces his intention to retire at the end of the present Parliament on account of health considerations. REFORM 'OF THE LORDS. UNDER THREE HEADINGS. In the House of Lords, Lord Rosebery gave notice of the following resolutions : " (1) That a strong and efficient second chamber as an integral part of the constitution is a necessary for the well-being of the State and the balance of Parliament. " (2) That such chamber can best be obtained by reform and reconstruction of the House of Lords. " (3) That a necessary preliminary ■to such is the acceptance of the principle that the possession of a peerage no longer of itself gives the right to sit and vote in the House of Lords." THE NAVAL ESTIMATES. A GREAT PROGRAMME.

j Received 10.30 p.m., March 10th. LONDON, March 10. In the House of Commons, the •■ Naval Estimates were introduced. j They provide a total of £50,603,700. The personnel of the Navy is increased by 131,000. New construction is to cost £13.279,839, whereof £11,850,790 is to he spent on vessels already under construction, and the balance is to be used for beginning the work of the new programme, which is to be composed of five large armoured ships, five protected cruisers, twenty destroyers, and a number of submarines, which are to cost three-quarters of a million. This will be independent of four contingent battleships and the New Zealand and Australian vessels, tenders for which are now being considered. During the year five battleships, two unarmoured ; cru:;--.rs, nine destroyers, six t-arpodo- ' boats, and sixteen submarines have been completed. There will be under construction by April Ist- seven battle-r-hips. three armoured cruisers, nine protected cruisers, two unarmoured cruisers, 37 destroyers, nine submarines, and two Heating docks capable of taking in the biggest battleships. The docks will be completed by 1911, and stationed in the Medway and Portsmouth. ! Mr MeKenna stated that the aeronautical branch was conducting important experiments with airships which will be completed for trials in the summer, and added that very satisfactory reports were received concerning the first batch of Australian and Now Zealand ratings trained in England. BRITAIN GOING ALONE. , NOT FOLLOWING GERMANY. Mr Byles (Salford) asked whether the. recent -friendly statements of the German Government would influence the Naval Estimates in the direction of retrenchment. Mr McKenna replied that Britain reciprocated Germany's friendliness, but the Naval Estimates were not based on the assumption that other nations meant to be unfriendly. They were framed to preserve Britain's standard as a naval power. He added that no utterances of German Ministers had indicated Germany's intention .to modify her naval expenditure. IRELAND'S GIVE AND TAKE. Replying to Mr R. Hazelton (Galway), Mr Lloyd George stated that Ireland's share of the new taxation under the Budget would be £3.438,000, while her benefit from old age pensions would be £2,460,000.