POLITICAL ARENA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 48, Issue 14608, 6 March 1922, Page 6

POLITICAL ARENA.

CRISIS AT HOMS. LONDON, Friday. Much interest is taken in Mr. Chamberlain’s speech at the Carlton Cluu, Oxford. . . The country was being told, he said, that the Coalition was tottering to its fall. That conception was far from the truth. The best thing was to talk frankly. “When I succeeded Mr lionar Law, tho Prime Minister repeated to me the statement he had already made to my predecessor. It ought to lie common knowledge that when Mr. Asquith resigned Mr. Lloyd George did not seek the Premiership.' He offered to i serve under Mr. Bonar Law or Mr. Balfour, but both thought it was in the interests of the country that Mr. Lloyd George should have the Premiership. He took it on their request.” Mr. Chamberlain said: Mr. Lloyd George told me the other day if we felt that the interests of the country would be better served by a return to party government lie would gladly retire. Mr. Lloyd George would not take my answer. He told me to confer formally with my party and let him have their reply. He added: ‘The wave og unrest and differences of opinion are distracting the Coalition.’ Instead of Parliament consisting of two great parties and the Government alternating with the change of public opinion, we are confronted with the danger of many groups in which no group has a majority. A small party holding the balance of power is a danger to the State. It has power without responsibility. It' the Governments of this country were to be at the mercy of groups, so that they would change with the seasons and that the country might be without a Government for weeks in the midst of very important national business, we would lose our foremost position in the counsels of Europe. We have replied to Mr. Lloyd George and told him that we think the interests of the country would not be advanced, but rather retarded, by his resignations. (Prolonged cheers.) Those who worked most closely with Mr. Lloyd George and his Liberal colleagues felt that to accept his offer would be to betray that stability which it is the duty of the Conservative party to preserve.” The Daily Chronicle’s political correspondent says the crisis in the Coalition is still very serious. “I hear,” he adds, “that Mr. Lloyd George, when leaving for Chequers Court, used an expression which is friends construed to inent. that he doubted whether he would return to Downing Street. Mr. Chamberlain and other Ministers will visit Chequers on Saturday to discuss the position. On the other hand two-thirds of the Conservative Commoners privately passed a resolution that they will support the Coalition, and anotuer meeting will be held on Tuesday to discuss the resolution that the next general election must be fought on a constructive national programme common to the adherents of the Government and that this can best be doen under the joint leadership of Mr. Lloyd George and Mr. Chamberlain.

An important discussion is- proceed ing regarding the applicability ot' pro portional representation to the situa tion.

Sir Worthington Evans, speaking al Colchester, said the Prime Minister offered to retire, but "said ho would support the Conservatives in carrying out the unfinished programme. All the Conservative members of the Cabinet assured Mr. Lloyd George of their support and begged him to continue. He (Sir Worthington) hoped he would continue, but they could not expect him to bear the immense' burden of the office unless they backed up their leaders in supporting Mr. Lloyd George.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn.