The Wide World.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 22, 1 December 1909, Page 7

The Wide World.

CABLE NEWS IN BRIEF.

IMPERIAL. The long-awaited discussion of the House of Lords upon the Budget is now proceeding, the second reading of the Finance Bill having 'been moved on Tuesday. Lord Lansdowne, leader of the Conservative party in the House of Lords, immediately moved liis promised amendment, which was worded as follows: — “That the House of Lords is not justified in giving its consent to the bill until it has been submitted to the judgment of the country.” In a restrained, unrhetorical, closely-reasoned speech, lasting an hour, he argued against the passing of the Budget, and twitted the Earl of Crewe (Secretary of State for the Colonies) for refraining from addressing the House on the measure himself. The Opposition peers had considered the consequences of their action, and were prepared to face them. They were told there would 'be a financial deadlock, and no money to pay Ministers' salaries, 'but doubtless the Government had a nice little scheme for tiding over temporary difficulties. “Is the Budget,” he asked, “so perishable that it will not keep for six weeks? You can have chaos if you want chaos, but you need not. any assistance in this direction be desired, the Opposition will do its utmost to mitigate any inconvenience.” The whole bill was a confession that the possibilities of a finance system 'based on free imports were virtually exhausted. The Lords had 'been told, he said, that they would be punished if they reject'd the 'billl, but the same threats had 'been made before. It would be 'better if the

Lords did not shirk from their responsibilities, and did not fail those who looked to them as the guardians of their constitutional rights to be consulted when fundamental political changes were demanded by the Government of the day. Lord Loreburn (Lord High Chancellor) made a dignified reply, concluding: “It is impossible that any Liberal Government can ever again 'bear the heavy burden of office unless secured against a repetition of the treatment which has been measured out to it in the House of Lords during the past four years. If the Liberate succeed at the coining election they will not flinch from what they will have to follow. We have not provoked nor desired this conflict, but are not afraid of it.” The debate was continued by other pnominent peers, and is expected to conclude on Tuesday next. It is expected that Parliament will be prorogued at the end of next week, and the election held early in January, if the Lords do not assent to the Budget. The “Times” says the Government is advense to any 'proposals concerning the collection of taxes to tide over the interregnum, Ocst it be interpreted as accepting an alternative to the Budget. The deficit resulting from rejection will continue until the new Parliament assembles. The new battleship Vanguard, in her eight hours’ sea trial, maintained ar. average speed of 22.4 knots under was conditions, a record for her class. Sir Thomas Lipton, failing to secure an amendment in the rules governing the America Cup contests, has decided to challenge again under the old rules for a. naee in 1911. He 'Will 'build two

yachts, and will send the faster across the Atlantic. The “Daily Telegraph” announces that Mr. Herbert Gladstone (Home Secretary in the Imperial Cabinet) has accepted the Governor-Generalship of South Africa.

FOREIGN. Germany’s naval estimates for the current year include an increase of half a million owing to the additional cost of the large-sized Dreadnoughts. The addition of 3,500 men makes a total personnel of the fleet of 57,500. America has decided to make Pearl Harbour, in the Hawaiian Islands, impregnable, regardless of cost. Already a channel 35ft. deep is being dredged through the sand bar. The United States Circuit Court of Appeal has ordered the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey to be dissolved as an illegal corporation. The Government’s action was directed against the parent organisation and 70 subsidiary branches for conspiracy, and as a monopoly restraining trade in several States. The case is to go to the United States Supreme Court. Thi* is stated to be one of the most important and far-reaching decisions given in a civil action in the American Courts. Judicial proceedings have been instituted against 06 officials of the controlling commission of the Moscow commissariat departments, who have been charged with irregularities. It is reported that the army scandals involve embezzlements of 11 millions sterling annually, a million and a-half in Moscow alone. Supplies sufficient for a whole army corps were stolen. Seventy further arrests are impending. A sensation lias been caused by the poisoning of a captain in the Austrian army under circumstances which show that an attempt was made to poison a number of the officers of the general staff of Vienna. Forty of the officers on the staff received postal packets, which were alleged to contain samples of a nerve cure. A captain tasted the sample addressed to him, and died from poisoning. All the packets were then examined, and were found to contain cyanide of potassium. An officer is suspected.

THE COMMONWEALTH. ..The strike in Newcastle still continuses, with the apparently little hope of an early settlement. The Strike Conference has furnished the Government with the claims of the miners as follows:—Minimum daily wage with uniform sliding scale, eight hours from bank to bank, sliding scale for machine-won coal, shilling per lon for screened and small coal, with penalties imposed for filling dirt, and abolition of the second shift. In the Federal House of Representatives on Wednesday Mr. Cook (Minister for Defence) moved for approval of the naval defence scheme prepared at the recent Imperial Conference. Mr. Cook explained that the question of ways and means was left over for future consideration. The annual cost to Australia for maintenance would be £750,000, and the total amount of cost, including interest and sinking fund, would be If million. After the closure had been applied, the motion was carried by 39 votes to nine.