IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10304, 8 November 1911, Page 2

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

—- —♦- MR BALFOUR ON HOME RULE. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received November 8, 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, November 7. Mr'Balfour, at the Nonconformist Unionist Association banquet, declared that tho whole plausibility of administrative argument on. Homo Rule was based on tho experience of Australia, the United States, and Canada, but it was a different thing to start from a unity and go to a federal system. The Government proposed to give privileges to the Irish which were denied to the English and Scottish. If a dependent Parliament wore- granted it would soou become independent. NATIONAL INSURANCE. Tho Government has introduced an amendment on the Insurance Bill to reduce- the. payments by soldiers and sailors to ljd, and that a separate seamen's fund should bo established, to bo managed by the Board of Trade. Shipowners aro to bo exempted from contributions in respect of foreign emplovers trading to foreign stations. ADULT SUFFRAGE. Mr Asquith, in tho House of Commons, announced that an adult suffrage measure would bo introduced next session.