BRITISH POLITICS.

West Coast Times, 22 March 1910, Page 3

BRITISH POLITICS.

LATEST CABLES

VETO VERSUS BUDGET. GOVERNMENT PROCEDURE CONDEMNED. jfEB PBXS3 ASSOCIATION.— COPraiQHT] LONDON, March 21. Mr G. N. Barnes (Labour M.P. for Blackfriars, Glasgow) dwelt on the critical political situation in a spccclt yesterday at Torquay. He declared that the mode of procedure proposed to be followed by the Government in submitting the Budget to the House of Commons before the House of Lords had finally disposed of the veto resolutions would prove ineffective. It meant drifting to disaster. There was no prospect of the Liberals under such ticumstances obtaining a largo ma jority, such as was necessary .

AIR HALDANE ON THE SITUATION • Right Hon. R. B. Haldane (Minister of War) addressing the Eighty Club, denied the rumour of his probable resig nation. He said the veto question must he taken first by the Government, but the Liberals would make a profound mistake if they separated the veto question from that of the reform of the House of Lords. If the Liberals failed to reconstitute the House of Lords upon a democratic basis, the Conservatives would do so and would then repeal the veto resolutions. The Lords’ self-reform proposals, he said, appeared to contemplate depriving the Crown of the power to create additional peers. Until now, this had been the House of Commons supreme, ultimate safeguard. Air Haldane suggested that the second chamber should represent great constituencies in order that no candidate should bo able to seek election unless he was a man of mark. „ Air Haldane, speaking at the Institute of Civil Engineers, said the War Office was preparing to create a reserve of skilled telegraphists and motor cyclists among the men employed in the railway works of the country, who, it was calculated, would form a potent force in the scheme of home defence.

SPEECH BY MB I?EDMOND. Mr John Redmond, speaking at Liverpool, said he was profoundly dissatisfied with the “satisfied Tories,” who want the financial chans regularised before they return to office. “I say let them stew in their own juice until we know what we are going to do with the Lords and their veto.” The whisky duties, he said, brought no revenue. It was quite possible to exempt small owners in Ireland from the new death duties and stamp duties, and small Irish breweries from the license taxes. Irish land must be exempted from valuation. Such concessions, he contended, would not affect the character of the Budget as a great democratic measure. He would be glad to reciprocate the conciliatory tone of Mr Asquith’s speech and consult with the Government regarding the Budget and the Veto, but the Nationalists, lie said, intended to stand to their pledges. The “Irish Independent” newspaper complains that the Premier’s speech is merely continuing the Government’s policy of mystery and evasion. Before a mutual understanding is possible the Nationalists must know what the Premier means. LONDON, March 20. Mr Percy Alden has organised an extensively signed memorial to the Liberal and Labour parties urging Mr Asquith to resort to the referendum in order to avoid disorganisation of business and the heavy expense that would be entailed by another election.