IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2628, 9 October 1909, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

LORD ROSEBERY’S DECISION

United Pkess Association— Copyright. LONDON, October 7. Many politicians and writers profess to regard Lord Rosebery’s decision to address no further Budget meetings as a sequel to his Balmoral visit. It has been suggested that if King Edward intervenes in regard to the Budget his action will recall that of Queen Victoria in the conflict over the Franchise Bill;, 1884, when the Duke of Richmond acted as Queen Victoria’s confidential emissary to Mr. Gladstone and Lord Salisbury.

The ‘‘Times” understands that the reasons why the Government decided to adjourn were firstly that the task of revising the Budget in order to insert the amendments promised during the committee stages will occupy the draftermen and law officers a week; secondly, that there is no business of importance for the House of Commons to do; thirdly, the low majorities prove that the supporters of the Government are getting restive and want a holiday. The “Pall Mall Gazette” says that the Government’s new-born zeal for mature deliberation sits unconvincingly on Ministers, who have exceeded all precedent in the employment of the gag and in all-night sittings. No political observer, it adds, will believe that it is mere conventional formula.

Opposition papers, writing “the Budget muddle,” suggest that the Bill has been laid up for repairs. The “Chronicle’s” heading read: “The King as Peacemaker—he seeks to avert war of Peers and Commons.”

ANOTHER INTERVIEW BETWEEN THE KING AND THE PREMIER.

(Received October 8, 10.5 p.m.) LONDON, October 8.

Mr. Asquith had a further prolonged audience with King Edward, and returns to London to-day. Lord Lansdowne denies the widelycirculated rumor that he is invited to Balmoral for the week end.

THE IRISH LAND BILL—GREATLY ALTERED BY THE LORDS.

(Received October 8, 11 p.m) The House of Lorfe, by 114 votes to 26, deleted clause 41 of the Irish Land Bill, involving practically compulsory acquisition of land by the Estates Commissioners, outside congested areas. Several clauses dealing with the constitution of the proposed new Board were also deleted.

AN IRISH NATIONALIST APPEAL

Mr. Redmond cabled to the United Irish League, and also to America : “A great crisis in the Irish struggle has arrived. The Lords are engaged in destroying the Land Bill. A general election is certain in a few weeks, when the veto of the Lords will be at stake. With the veto of the Lords will disappear the last obstacle to Home Rule,’ 5 Ml. T. P. O’Connor is going to America to ask the Irish-Americans for prompt and generous aid. The “Pall Mall Gazette” states that the Irish Nationalists are desperately in need of funds, and that their subscriptions are £2500 less this year than in 1908.