IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2638, 21 October 1909, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

■UNIONIST ADVOCACY OF SMALL HOLDINGS.

United Press Association —Copyright LONDON, October 19.

Lieutenant Bellairs, who was Liberal on ember for King’s Lynn has joined the' Unionists. / Lord Portman, a Liberal freetrader, will support the Opposition at the general election owing to the Budget proposals. In connection with the Rural Laborers’ League’s presentation to Mr. Jesse Codings for his. services in the cause of peasant proprietory, Mr. Joseph Chamberlain has written a letter , declaring that while tariff reform would prove the salvation of the inhabitants of the towns the creation of a peasant proprietorship is necessary for agricultural laborers. Indeed, it is the only plan whereby the problems affecting hm chiefly can be properly dealt with. Mr. Jesse Codings writes: “Instead of shipping overseas cargoes of men and women who form the pith of the v Tiistiliood of the'country, steps should he taken to colonise rural England. This policy is a natural barrier against Socialism. Hence the Socialists’ determined apposition to ownership.” Since Mr. Balfoiir.’s Birmingham speech ' Opposition speakers and newspapers are continually advocating the creation of a large class of proprietors of small holdings by means of land banks, or methods similar to those adopted in regard to Ireland.

NOTABLE MEMORIAL FROM LONDON BUILDERS. LONDON, Oct. 19. Fifty "West London builders have signed a memorial that they have not purchased land since the Budget was introduced, and do not intend to do so until assured that security of contract will be respected by the Government. The memorial calls attention to the recent unprecedented unemployment, which it states was due to the land clauses of the Budget proposals. ATTEMPT TO FRIGHTEN THE ELECTORS. . LONDON, October 20. .(Received October 20, 9.50 p.m.) Air. A. Ure, Solicitor-General for Scotland, addressing a Budget League meeting at Tring, declared that no tariff reformer had shown how revenue was to be raised to pay old age pensions, and poor folks’ alarm lest a change of Government might cause the loss of their pensions was well founded. The “Daily Mail’” protests, against this discredited falsehood being circulated by a Minister after Mr. A. J; Balfour’s letter of September 13th. A BROKEN MINISTERIAL PROMISE. The House of Commons, in the report stage of the Budget, disposed of amendments to th% first six clauses. The Opposition protested against Air. Lloyd-George not producing his promised revised estimate of revenue, which is necessary in order to judge the effect of the Government’s amendments. Air. Lloyd-George replied that he was unwilling to issue the estimate, without first making an explanatory statement. THE RIGHTS OF THE LORDS. Lord Alilner, at Ealing, declared that tne right of the Lords to Teject a money Bill is unquestionable, and doubly unquestionable when the Bill contained matter -which properly should be included in separate enactments. The Lords would be guided by Lord Lansdowne’s advice. The worst feature of thg Budget was its intention to sidetrack tariff reform.