BRITISH POLITICS.

West Coast Times, 18 March 1910, Page 3

BRITISH POLITICS.

jPEB PRESS ASSOCIATION. — COPIBiaHT ] LONDON, March 16. The Primate, supporting Lord Rosebery’s resolution declared that Government’s proposed sweeping departure from an immemorial usage was un justified. He urged a commonseuse readjustment.

The Marquis of Salisbury supported, adding that there must be a process of selection, giving some personal guarantee of fitness of the Peers for legislative functions.

Lord Newton said he was now in favour of Lord Rosebery’s view to admit election from outside. Lord Lough's amendment to reduce tlie Navy vote by 300 men was negatived by 310 to 255.

Hon. McKenna, in the House of Commons, said the two power standard was defined by Premier Asquith on May 26th, and was not exceeded by the estimates. The Admiralty considered five Dreadnoughts were not wanted before 1931. It was also expedient to delay commencing until the latest possible time. The Navy vote was ultimately agreed to. Hon. Llyod George is suffering from neuritis and is taking a rest for a week. A Treasury return shows the revenue receipts are £123,786,000, compared with £139,393,000 for the corresponding period of 1909, leaving £39,045,000 to be collected in a fortnight if the Treasurer’s estimates are to be fulfilled.

The Pall Mall Gazette publishes the text of Lord Cawdor’s memorandum for the first time. The object is to establish Lord Hereford’s contention that there is a shortage of cruisers for the protection of commerce . LONDON, March 17.

In electing Gibbons ( a magistrate) as their candidate, the Liberals of Mid-Glamorgan bitterly protested against the Master of the Elibank advising them not to oppose the Labour Party. The Master of the Elihank replies that the South Wales Miners’ Federation repeatedly resolved to abstain from supporting the Labour Party while Thomas A. Evans adhered to the general political programme of the Federation), but whenever a vacancy occurred, to contest the seat against all comers.

Mr Redmond, speaking at Newcastle, said he was perfectly sure a general election would take place i na few weeks Lord Cnrznn emphasised the feeling of respect wherewith the Lords were viewed in the colonies, where they were look ed upon as a benign House, where the colonies had their case stated with experience, and regarded sympathetically and judged with authority. How much then was this the case with an ancient aristocratic country like India, throughout which the Lords were regarded with an enormous veneration and respect. He added that one-fourth of the members of the House sat as a result of their own honourable exertions. He had, ho said, sympathy with a popularly elected second chamber but favoured the rooting of the House in the ranks of the democracy.

The Times Parliamentary correspondent says the Ministry favour a second chamber of 160 and that the method of electing the senators is still under discussion. The present intention is that half the senate should he elected for eight years and half for four.