BRITISH POLITICS.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 19 May 1922, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

FOREIGN POLICY CONDEMNEB. “DEPLORABLE RESULTS.” Press Assn.—By Tel. —Copyright. London, May 18. The National Liberal Federation passed a resolution that Britain’s foreign policy the last three yean had been conducted deplorably with unfortunate results. It condemned th e continued supervision and manipulation of international relations by the Supreme Council and the sectional conference. It declared that Britain’s plicy ought to be peace and friendship with all countries, the League of Nations being fully and frankly relied upon as the only guarantee of the lasting peace of the world. The League should admit Rusia and Germany if they desired it,, and gave the requisite guarantees.

SUPPLEMENTARY VOTE NEEDED. LONDON, May 17Mr Chamberlain, replying to a question said that the Government could not but consider last night’s vote as serious in the refusal of the House to support them in the steps they thought necessary to secure a reduction in the public expenditure and the alleviation of the public burden. Whatever might be said about the exact significance of the vote the decision of the House had been given upon a dilatory motion, on which it was not in order to argue the merits of the case. In these circumstances the Government decided to appoint a Select Committee, consisting of not more than nine members, to report whether, in fixing the present scale of salaries, an undertaking had been given or implied, that the provisions of the Teachers Superannuation Act should not be altered while these salaries remained in force. To meet the additional burden, in consequence of the vote of approximately £200,000 monthly, the Government would immediately bring down a supplementary estimate of £6OOO io cover the charge during the first quarter year. Replying further to questions, Mr Chamberlain said that he well knew, when he went to the division, that the Government stood in grave danger Of being beaten, but he considered it his duty to put the responsibility on the House. The Government considered that a supplementary estimate should be taken the earliest possible moment, perhaps next week. Commander Kenworthy: “And go to the country on it?” Mr Chamberlain: “Yes, if necessary.”