NO PREFERENCE IN BRITAIN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 21 June 1924, Page 9

NO PREFERENCE IN BRITAIN.

Defeat of Mr Baldwin’s

Proposals.

ANALYSIS OF THE VOTING.

By Cable—Press Association—Copyright, LONDON, June 19.

In the House of Commons, after the defeat of the first four preference resolutions, Mr Baldwin announced that he did not intend to move the remaining six.

An analysis of the divisions show many Labour abstentions. Five Labourites voted against the Government—Dr. Haden Guest, Messrs Church, Rose, Sexton and Wellhead. Fifteen Liberals voting for , the resolutions included General Seely, Sii Edward Grigg, and Sir William Sutherland.

During the debate, Mr Snowden promised that the Government would earnestly consider Mr Baldwin’s proposal which, he understood, was that the Government should arrange with tlie Government of Australia that the whole of the Australian production should be sent to Britain and 1 distributed by the Government at cost price. The Government had already gone s'ome' distance in that direction, because it had proposed to the Dominions the establishment of a Permanent Economic Committee to consider the possibility of increasing the consumption of Empire food products in the United Kingdom, and promoting the interests of both producer and consumer. Mr Lloyd George’s support of four preference resolutions is causing.much comment. It is regarded as heralding changes in tlie political atmosphere. • ■ DO THEY CARE IN BRITAIN?”

MR BALDWIN’S PLEA

By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, June 19. Mr Baldwin was the principal guest at the Australian and New Zealand Club luncheon. He begged the oversea people not to take last night’s ; Parliamentary vote on the 7 preference -proposals to mean that “We in' Britain do not care.” He believed the country had never been more eager to learn things about the Empire. He was most forcibly struck during the debate -by testimonies to that interest which' we miVht vainly have looked for some years ago in Britain. The Opposition would cordially co-operate with the Government in the latter's expressed desire to carry out one of the most essential things, namely, to spread the Empire population more evenly in various parts.