IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10301, 4 November 1911, Page 6

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

<w-., NATIONAL INSURANCE BILL. Unilod Press Association—By Electric Telesrrapk—Copyright. (Received November 4. 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, November 3. The House of Commons agreed to a clause giving a wife the option between voluntary insurance at a reduced rate on discontinuance, in which case she would be allowed: to gradually draw two-thirds of the surrender value of her policy, one-third to be retained to provide for her possible reentry as an employed widow. The committee also decided that aliens resident in the Kingdom for five years; and belonging to an approved society, should benefit bv State funds. HOME RULE. Mr John Redmond addressed a crowded meeting in the City Liberal Club on the economic and financial aspect of Homo Rule. He declared that it had been England's deliberate policy for two centuries to destroy Irish industries, hence her commercial and industrial history had been one of continual stagnation. It was hopeless to expect Ireland to rouse herself until she obtained a native Government. During the greater part of a century she had been paying £2,250,000 above her fair proportion and during the century she contributed £329,000,000 for the army, navy and the general purposes of the Empire. The Irish Government was the most costly in the world because it was not a willing partnership with one of the richest countries. Every luxury given to England was extended to Ireland and charged to Irish revenue. There was no incentive to' economy. Let Britain make a bargain with Ireland in a generous and final settlement. Parliamentary business was so conjested that Home Rule was equally required by England, Scotland and! Wales. A remarkable feature of the meeting was that Lord Beauchamp presided and the Master of Elibank moved a vote of thanks to Mr Redmond.