IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2711, 15 January 1910, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

LLOYD-GEORGE ON HEREDITARY PEERS.

United Press Association —Copyright

LONDON, Jan. 13

Mr. Lloyd-George, speaking .at "Wolverhampton, declared that the Tories were trying to prove that black bread and horseflesh were very wholesome. Personally he was not afraid of the German navy and German trade competition, but he was afraid of German sausages. Referring to the subject of the hereditary second Chamber, he said that peers require no certificate to prove them sound in body and mind, only a certificate of prove that they were the first of the litter. “You would not,” he said, “choose a spaniel on this principle -whereby 500 peers are chosen to override the choice of 45 million people.” LONDON, Jan. 13. Sir R. GifFcn objects to the Budget’s Socialism. ‘Tie considei-s the Liberal Government has sacrificed the cause of freetrade. Sir Hugh Bell," at a City meeting, declared that he would not support a measure for a separate Parliament for Ireland. ELECTION TACTICS. LONDON, Jan. 13. In connection with the election campaign workingmen have been frequently warned of the prospect of eating black bread -and horse sausage in the event of tariff reform being carried. It has now been shown that the King has black bread in every palace and in every royal yacht. A Radical paper is publishing the price list of horseflesh in Germany.

NONCONFORMISTS AND THE ELECTIONS.

(Received January 11, 10.20 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 14. An active newspaper correspondence is proceeding between leading Nonconformist ministers, showing their difficulty in voting for either side at the election. Several are utterly disappointed with the Government’s neglect of Nonconformist demands, and are also strongly opposed to Home Rule. The Rev. J. J. Greenhougli champions the Lords, declares that Socialism is the supremo peril, and protests against the degradation of Nonconformist sanctuaries by passionate party appeals. MR. ASQUITH ON TARIFF REFORM. Mr. Asquith, speaking at Bradford, referring to Mr. Balfour’s speec-h at Cork, said: “The orocle has spoken. Not the oracle- of Delphi, nor of Dodona, in the palmiest days of sacerdotal ambiguity, gave forth -a more uncertain sound. Mr. Balfour states that he would much prefer to tax the luxuries of the rich. I ask, ‘"Why luxuries? Is h© going to remit the duties on tea and sugar, as Mr. Chamberlain promised? I don’t envy the Chancellor who has to meet the cost of old age pensions, the- iiavy, -and the ever-in-creasing demands of social reform out of the odds and ends which he would be able to accumulate under this precious system of taxing imported luxuries. If revenue is to be secured, how will the tariff end unemployment? After the Cork speech the Opposition is definitely committed to a moderate duty upon foods.” (Received January 14, 11.30 p.m.) Mr Asquith continued: “Mr. Balfour has the courage to predict that his scheme will diminish rather than increase the iprice of food, because it will bring vast untouched areas of fertile wheat lands into cultivation; but how. long will this take? What are we going to do in the -meantime It is a vital necessity that Britain should have the whole world to draw from. The vicissitudes of climate and crops may cause a breakdown in a usually dependable source of supply. We want to correct the shortage of one part by supplies from another.” THE NONCONFORMIST ATTITUDE. Speaking at the demonstration of the Portsmouth Free Church Council on November 18th, the Rev. J. Scott Lidgett, M.A., D.D., ex-president, of t’ J British Wesleyan Methodist Cons /ence, said the duty of Nonconformts in the present crisis was to give faeir utmost support to a Government which had risked so much to fulfil the pledges they gave to their Nonconformist constituents at the last election in the matter of education and licensing reform. A victory for the House -of Lords at the present juncture and under the same influences which wrecked the Licensing Bill, would mean that the great objects which Nonconformists had set before themselves' as essential to justice and the moral interests of . the community would have no chance for several years to come. When he heard such measures as those which had for their object the insurance of workmen against unemployment and invalidity denounced as Socialistic, he wondered at the folly of those who believed such idle- denunciations. Nonconformists should show that if they were not Socialists they had in view a far-reaching policy of social reform for the benefit of the most helpless section of the population. - This is a remarkable pronouncement coming from such a source, as Dr. Scott Lidgett and his church, as a church, take no strong line on political questions, unless some great moral issue is involved? Dr. ‘Scott Lidgett is sometimes characterised as one of the most level-headed of men, and t the natural successor in the Methodist Church to that inspiring personality—the Rev. Hugh Price Hughes, M.A.