IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2719, 26 January 1910, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

A GERMAN VIEW. United Phess Association —CoryiuanT. BERLIN, Jan. 24. The German newspapers publish long reports of . the polling, some arguing that there is possibility of a good tariff arrangement with the Unionists. INTEREST IN INDIA. CALCUTTA, Jan. 24. ' Absorbing interest is being taken in India in the British election. Several newspapers are publishing special editions. AN EX-NEW ZEALANDER. LONDON, Jan. 24. Mr. Alfred St. George Hammersley, -elected for Woodstock, was for a long time a resident of New Zealand. [Mr. Hammersley practised as a lawyer in Timaru, where he was, also, captain of the old C Battery of Artillery. Several years ago he left New Zealand and proceeded to Vancouver.] • RIOT ACT READ TO DISORDERLY CROWD.. A’iprocession of Radicals did much window-breaking at Carnarvon, the crowd objecting to the postponement of the declaration of the poll after Mr Cripps’ success. At Wycombe the -crowd took possession of the streets, and they invaded the Unionists’ dumping shop, making a bonfire of the contents. The Riot Act was read, and 100 police dispersed the mob with a baton charge. HEARTY RECEPTION OF JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN. (Received January 25, 10.25 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 25. Mr. Joseph Chamberlain voted in the Eastern Worcestershire election. The crowd warmly received him. THE “WESTMINSTER GAZETTE” ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION. ((Received January 25, 11.4 p.m.) The “Westminster Gazette” says that the cleavage between north and south, between the industrial and rural districts, will require courageous handling if the country is to escape a long period of strife and unrest. The people are ready for a statesmanlike re-construction of the second chamber, in harmony with representative institutions, but are opposed to a single chamber. The reconstruction of the constitution is essentially a task calling for the co-operation of the moderates of both parties. Many Unionists are pledged to a modification of the hereditary basis of the second chamber. The Unionist party would gain if they acknowledged that their opponents had a real grievance against the Lords. A Parliamentary deadlock and schism between classes will be threatened if the reforms are trusted to the more heated partisans. ELECTION RESULTS. RESULTS OF CONTESTS. —Romford (Essex). — *Sir H. Bethell, Liberal,' 23,181. Williamson, Unionist, 21,224. No Change. —Crewe (Cheshire). — * James Tomkinson, Liberal, 7761. Harrington, Unionist, 5419. Rose, Labor, 1380. , No change. —Dumfries District.— *J. W. Gulland, Liberal, 2303. Duncan, Unionist, 1730. No change. —Somerset (Northern). — King, Liberal, 6568. Beauchamp, 5768. No change. , —Carnarvon District. — *Rt Hon. D. Lloyd JJeorge, Liberal, 3183. Vincent, Unionist, 2105. No change. —Down (East). — - *Captain James Craig, Unionist, 4028 Will, Liberal, 3054. No change. —Banffshire. — * Colonel Walter Waring, Liberal, 4066. Watt, Unionist, 2053. No change. —Norfolk (Southern). — *A. W. Soames, Liberal, 4781. Merrison, Unionist, 3694. No change. —Torquay.— ♦•Sir F. Layland-Barratt, Liberal, 5104. Lopes Hy. Yarde-Buller, Unionist, 5093. No change. —-Carmarthenshire (Western). — *J. L. Morgan, Liberal, 5684. Creamlyn, Unionist, 2058. No change. (Received Jan. 26, 12.45 a,m.) LONDON, Jan. 20. —Harrow. — Deley, Unionist, 16,761. Harris, Liberal, 13,575. Unionist gam. SUMMARY OF RESULTS. Unionists ... . ••• 219 Liberals ... ••• ••• 190 Labor “2 Nationalists ... ••• NEW ZEALANDERS FOR PARLIAMENT. Writing under date London, December 10th, the correspondent of tlie “Christchurch Press” says The' possibility that quite - a shoal ot New Zealanders not yet known to English politics would make tlieir appearance as candidates at the forthcomingelection has been proved groundless. The Hon. W. Pember Reevs, who has taken some considerable part, behind the throne, in Liberal polities here during the last year, , was expected, m some quarters, to contest a- seat in the Liberal interest. He did, indeed, receive a- very tempting offer to com©

CABLE NEWS.

forward, but felt that he could not stand the double strain of his present work and political life. Mr,. E. G. Jellicoe, the well-known Wellington solicitor, who has been living in England for some- years now, and lias been prominent in defence of the Zulu chief Dinizulu, is again a candidate. A name which New Zealanders were expecting to see in the Irish list of candidates was that of Mr. Gleeson (Napier), who left for New Zealand about a year ago with the intention of being back in the Old Country in time to try his luck. „ , Mr.-J. Cathcart Wason, Liberal member for Orkney and Shetland (majority in 1906, 2816), and Mr. A. Fell. Conservative member for Yarmouth (majority in 1906, 236), are again standing for Parliament. Mr. Cathcart Wason, who polled' 3837 votes! compared with 1021 by his opponent, has a safe seat. Mr. E. G. Jellicoe, as an unofficial Liberal, is opposing the return of Mr. F. Smith, K.C., Conservative member for the Walton Division of Liverpool, hut the fight here is complicated Bv the presence of Labor and Liberal candidates. Captain E. S. Grogan is fighting Mr. J. C. Wedgwood, the. sitting Liberal member, at Newcastle-under-Lvme. and he has an adverse majority of 2000 to pull down. Captain Grogan is not a New Zealander, but his wife is. [Mr. Fell was elected, but Contain Grogan was defeated, and Mr. Jellicoe came at the- bottom of the poll. Dr. Chappie and 1 Mr. Hammersley, two other ex-New Zealanders, have been returned.] VERSES IN “PUNCH.”

Mr. Owen Seaman, satirist, writes in “Punoli rr on the topic of the moment': “The Lords and the Budget:”—

What! Men of England! Shall it be That you, a self-respecting nation, Propose to crook a- servile knee And grovel at the Peers’ dictation. If so, you cannot he aware What outrage vou are asked to bear! Then you shall hear the horrid truth. We made a Bill, a perfect treasure; We sent it up, and they forsooth Said that on such a doubtful measure (Here comes the insult) they preferred That you should have the final word! That Budget, simple, bright and terse, They did not fling it back or flout it, But, just to make you wince the worse, Chose to invite your views about it! Has Liberty been ever dealt A nastier knock ueneath the belt? Ah ! this is Armageddon’s eve ! To-morrow’s -light shall mend or end ’em— Stern chastisement, with no reprieve, For that outrageous referendum ; Henceforth 1 no Peer will lightly choose To dare consult the People’s views! MR. ASQUITH ON ELECTORAL REFORM. COULD “HARDLY RESIST” WOMAN’S SUFFRAGE. / Mr. Asquith is reported in recent cablegrams to have stated that he has always been an opponent of womans suffrage, and as far as he personally is concerned this is no doubt true. But, notwithstanding this, it may safelv be assumed that “The Liberal party is free to support anv measure” ott woman s suffrage (to adopt Mr. Asquith-s own language on -Home Rule) if it thinks fit. This assumption is based on Mr. Asquith’s replv. in May, 1908, to a deputation of sixty Liberal members of the House of Commons who waited on him . . , “To submit a really effective scheme for the reform of our electoral system before this Parliament came to an end was,” he said, “a- binding obligation on the Government. The present state of the law, with its artificialities, its unreasonable delays in obtaining the qualification, for the franchise, its indefensible classification of the categories of voters, and, above all, the power ot double voting, which was at present conferred upon the class which needed it least —all this urgently demanded reform. No Liberal Government, and no Liberal House of Commons, would be performing its duty if it did not make every effort to get rid of a system such as he had described.” —Government Would Not Oppose. *

The deputation had come to press for woman’s suffrage, and of this Mr. Asquith Raid: . . “It would clearly be within tihe competence of those present to seek to introduce by amendments, or by extensions, the object they desired. The Government! could hardly _ resist such amendment, for the simple- and sufficient reason that probably some two-thirds af his colleagues in the Ministry) were in favor of it. _ If it were approved bv the House, it could not be any part of the duty of the Government to oppose such an amendment, and therefore the matter must be left •to the decision of the House. He must give : them one-word of warning, however; it must be a distinct condition that any such proposed change must be a change upon democratic lines. Subject to that condition he could not oppose such an amendment, even if lie desired to do so, haying regard to the state of opinion in the Liberal party on this question. He pointed out that a measure of woman s suffrage such as he had touched on, to he accepted must have behind it the overwhelming support of the women of the country, no less than the support of men.” —Tragic Interruption Foreseen.— Mr. Asquith on the same day said: “You cannot achieve social reform worthy of the name so long as your political machinery is obsolete in form and stamped with the marks of im equality and injustice, ana does not respond readily and persistently to lb© real will and genuine wishes of the people. I am strongly of opinion that before the days of this Parliament, if its career is not tragically interrupted by some unforseen and unforeseeable disaster, I hope and believe that we shall not, indeed, complete, but wo shall take another long step m advance on the road of political reform in removing from our electoral system those grave anomalies and abuses which Tender it now so inadequate and untrustworthy an exponent of the real opinion of the people.”