BRITISH POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8108, 31 March 1906, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

AN EXPLANATION. Received March 30, 7.37 a.m. LONDON, March 29. Replying to a correspondent, Sir Henry Campbell - Bannerman explained that when he mentioned that there were twelve millions on the verge of starvation, he relied on Mr Charles Booth's figures for London, and Mr Rountree's respecting York, supposing they applied to the whole country. THE TRADES DISPUTES BILL. Received March 30, 8.59 a.m. LONDON, March 29. ihe Labour Party is profoundly dissatisfied with Sir J. L. Walton's proposals, and recommends the trade union and labour members to persevere with their own Bill. The Standard says:--"Tbo Labour members have no relish for such superfine subtleties as Sir J. L. Walton's wire-entanglements. and they intend to extort absolute immunity. Had the game been played with tfse cards on the tables it would have been found thai many Liberals were pledged at the elections on the very point whioh was excluded from the" Bill when the [day of reckoning arrived." Recoived March 30, 7.48 a.m. 1 LONDON, Marob 29. The Times states that Sir J. Lawson Walton's compromise is devised to prevent a serious split in tho cabinet by the introduction in a tentative shape of a measure figuring prominently in the Speoctffrom ' the Throne, which had amused much criticism. Probably the Labour demands would be conceded in the House of Commone, but the House of Lords may feel justified in declining to pass a more drastic Bill than yesterday's bearing the Premier's imprimatur. The Daily News says: The Government has made its first mistake, but it is not an irremediable one. No Government should put itself in the position of sfcropgly urging one alternative legislation, and then finding Itself compelled to accept the other. The Chronicle states that it ia possible that Sir J. L. Walton may devise an acceptable compromise to prevent a>, trades union escaping all liability in extreme and exceedingly rare oases against which it is sought in the interests of abstract justice to guard. Received March 30, 7.37 a.m. The debate showed that many Liberal members are pledged to restore trade unions to the position they were in* preceding the Taff Vale deoision. Sir Edward Carson and Mr Eustace Evelyn Cecil critioised the proposed exemption of one class from the law regarding agency as unfair and illogical. The Bill was read a first time amid oheerd.