IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2625, 6 October 1909, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

FUSION OF CONSERVATIVES AND

UNIONISTS

1CI) PItICBS ASHOTiIATION COPYUIOIIT

LONDON, October, 4. •General Hutton has resigned his Con. servative candidature for Portsmouth, with the view of faciliating the fusion of the Conservative and Unionist parties in the borough.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NATIONALIST MEMBERS.

LONDON, October, 4/ Owing to a difference between Messrs Healy and Redmond, Nationalist members, there is- a movement afoot to expel the former from the League. Twenty-four Irish members of the Douse of Commons refuse to join inasmuch as they approve of Mr. Healy’s opposition to the Government’s licensing measures, in which Mr. Redmond acquiesces for the purpose of bargaining on other questions.

THE LICENSING DUTIES—REDUCED GOVERNMENT MAJORITY. (Received October 5, 9.15 p.m.) LONDON, October 5. A strenuous debate took place in the House of Commons’ on the schedule of the Finance Bill dealing with the new licensing duties. The Irish Nationalits hotly complained that distillers and small brewers in Ireland would be ruined. Mr. T. Healy reproached the Government for not placing a countervailing duty on imported German whisky. Mr. Asquith replied that there were small brewers in England, and it was impossible to discriminate between England and Ireland. The Nationalists voted against the Government throughout, and the Government’s majority once fell to 35. In view of the many changes in the Finance Bill, Mr. Lloyd-George promised to submit revised statements of the revenue which the Government hope to collect under the Budget.