IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14363, 8 February 1911, Page 5

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

OPENED ON MONDAY. KING AND QUEEN CHEERED. Press Association—By Tel.—Copyright. LONDON, Fob. II At tho oponing of Parliament the King and Queen wero vociferously cheered. Tho weather was lino, and enormouß crowds wero present. There was the usual Royal procession wlion tho House of Commons assembled in tho House of Lords. The King made the revised accession declaration. The High Commissioners of the overseas dominions occupied seats on the right of the throne. The King was in naval uniform. In his speech, which was exceptionally brief, he referred to King Edward's death, the South African Union, the Imperial Conference, and to the improved conditions of trade routes in Persia; and said he was hopeful of an arrangement of a new commercial troaty with Japan. Tho Speech announced the introduction of the Parliament Bill, paupers' pensions, insurance against sickness, invalidity and unemployment, in the trades specially liable thereto. PARTY MEETINGS. A couplo of hours previous to tho House of Commons assembling, tho Labour party, aftor electing Mr Ramsay Macdonald chairman, wero photographed in their places in tho Chamber, the Speaker giving his permission for this unusual incident. After a protracted meeting the Nationalists approved of the payment of members as a democratic measure, but requested that Iroland shoi'.i he exempted, and the money devotsd to somo useful public purpose in Ireland. THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. MR BALFOUR'S SPEECH. Received 10. 60 p.m., Feb. 7th. LONDON, Feb. 7. In the House of Commons, on tho Address-in-Reply, Mr Balfour censured Mr Churchill for withholding the military in the South Wales mining troubles, and twitted him with attending Sydney Street in company with a photographer when the attack was made on the Socialist Club. He doclared that tho Empire was now at a point of development whore Britain is simply first among equals, and as equals it was not our business to comment on the actions or motives of tbe Dominions, but if the agreement bf»tweea Canada and the United States was fully carried out it would havo v-.ry dire results upon the future of the Empire. It could hardly fail to make Canada commercially and economically dependent on America. For a tion Canadian statesmen had developed her trade on Imperial lines, and millions had been spent in establishing a system of transport from east to west. If the policy of reciprocity with America was carried out, it would be the result of the Government having refused to listen to the long pleading of Canada. »

MR ASQUITH'S REPLY. Air Asquith, replying to Mr Balfour'o censures, said that Mr Churchill suffered from the dangerous endowment of an interesting personality. He had shown a cool head and ft wise discretion in connection with South Wales. It would be wise to defer oriticism until they knew whether the Canadian nn*l United States agreement found favour in Canada. At present it was only an agreement ad referendum. Certainly Britain would do nothing to prevent the natural trend of events. If for the sake of preferential relations they put a tax on food from ssia, Argentine, and other countries outside the Empire, it was e«rtain as the rising sun that the United States would sooner or later be forced to lower their tariff walls. Received 11.35 p.m., Fob. 7th. THE LABOUR LEADER.

Mr Ramsay Mucdonald said it was rumoured that the Navy and Army estimates would be increased. Wheie was the increase going to end? Surely it was apparent that the present policy would not give security, and it offered no ending except perhaps that it threatened to precipitate war or national bankruptcy. He recognised that until a better understanding with Germany was reached it was a waste of words to discuss diminution of armaments.