IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2630, 12 October 1909, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE AND THE BUDGET. tiNITKII PlttT.SB ASSOCIATION COPYRIGHT. London, October 10. Mr. Lloyd-George, speaking at Newcastle, said: “Tile more irresponsible featherheads among the Lords want to throw the Budget out. Poor Lord Lansdowne, who has a creaking old ship and a mutinous crew, has got to sail throw the narrows with one eye on the weather-glass and the other on the forecastle. The real sailing master is the chief Tory whip, who is now trying to decide whether it is safe to shoot the albatross. The Budget’s fate depends on the report from the country. Concluding, Mr. Lloyd-George said “The Lords may decree a resolution, but the people direct it. If the constitution is torn to pieces issues will be raised which the Lords little'dreamed of. Who made ten thousand people owners of the soil? Who is responsible for the scheme whereby one engages in grinding the laborer eking out a precarious existence and another rolling in unearned luxury?” These questions, he said, and the answer would be charged with peril for the order of things which the Peers represent.

The speech contained an attack similar to that made at Limehouse upon tho landlords. The speaker instanced the largeness of the profits upon land sold for railways and to municipalities and on coal royalties. Mr. Lloyd-George, addressing an overflow meeting of 6000 people, said he was glad the people were with the Government in the fight. He had feared at the start that they might not realise in time how deeply their interests were bound up in the Budget.

GOVERNMENT AMENDMENTS TO

THE FINANCE BILL

(Received October 11, 9.40 p.m) LONDON, October 11. One hundred and eighty-two Government amendments to the first part of the Finance Bill were tabled.