IMPERIAL POLITICS

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14328, 19 October 1910, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS

WALTHAMSTOW ELECTION. Tress Assoeiation-By Telegraph-Copyright LONDON, Oct. 17. Mr Ben Tillett, in an address to the voters of Walthamstow, advises them not to accept Liberal promises. HOME RULE PREFERRED. Newspapers having repeated MiRedmond's statement which he was reported to have made in America ill favour of devolution, Mr Redmond cables to the United Irish League his entire repudiation of the sentiments attributed to him. Mr O'Brien states that the suggestion that Mr Redmond is favouring devolution is an invention that will not deceive anybody, and is dispelled by the fact that Mr T. P. O'Connor made an almost identical declaration in Canada the same day. MR ASQUITH LEARNING. OLD AGE PENSIONS AS TEACHER. Received 10.5 p.m., Oct. 18th. LONDON, Oct. 18. Mr Lloyd George, addressing the Liberal Christian League in the City Temple, declared that the causes of destitution unrest and discontent were common to free trade England and the protectionist Continent. They had to look beyond fiscal systems. "Mr Chamberlain's tariff reform proposals," ho said, " have rendered outstanding service by calling attention to the crying evils festering amongst us. I never realised the poignancy of poverty until I administered the old age pensions. Out of 420,000 adults wno died annually five-sixths had no property; and of three hundred millions sterling passing annually at death, half belongs to under two thousand people. These facts betokened organic diseases. The British system doubled the alleged waste and thrifilessness of the wageearners. Civilised countries Bpent five hundred milliions annually upon the machinery of war. Of Britain's war burden were removed she could pay her wage-earners . four shillings more weekly without interfering with the profits of capital. ' Britain's el'mate was a hard one for the poverty stricken. Millions of acres were devoted to those who preserved game, while the avarice and selfish niggardliness of other people perpetuated congestion in the cities, resulting in 50 per centum of the recruit* for the army being rejected as unfit. Re rod midnight, Oct. 18th. TOO MANY RICH. Mr Lloyd George condemned the idle rich, who with their families and retainers number two millions. Britain cannot afford so large a free list. The time had come for a thorough overhauling of the national and Imperial conditions. Tho masses were expecting great things, and it was disheart- | ening to witness a sweeping burst of popular enthusiasm spending itself on a trivial project. "My counsel to the people," he said, "is to enlarge the purpose of their politics, and then adhere to that purpose until redemp- j tion is accomplished." Outside the hall Suffragists were greeting Mr Lloyd George with cries of " hypocrite," " scoundrel," " traitor/'Two men were arrested for striking Mr George in the face and back. SOUTH SHIELDS ELECTION. Owing to the absence of unanimity among the trades unions in South Shields, Mr Will Crooks hat with* i drawn his candidature* MR REDMOND'S ATTITUDE, London newspapers, reprinting Mr Redmond's article in " McClure's Magazine " for October, declare that this is proof of his change to devolution. The "Morning Leader" says:—■ "Mr Redmond's repudiation may be much misunderstood. We reoently witnessed a movement in the Unionist Press in favour of Home Rule along Imperial roads. Mr O'Brien's gadfly rhetoric goaded Mr Redmond into a denial which may destroy a very promising movement."