IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2769, 26 March 1910, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

GOOD EFFECT OF GOVERNMENT •‘R ESOL.UT 10X8.' ’

Unitrd Press Association—Copyright LONDON, March 23. A.t a meeting of Labor members of •the House of Commons it was decided •to move an amendment on the Preknier’s resolutions in favor of the abolition of the House of Lords. The ‘‘Chronicle’’ states that the passage of the Budget through the House of 'Commons is practically assured, notwithstanding that no compact has yet been made with the Nationalists. Mr T. O’Connor, speaking at Glasgow,- said that instead of increasing the Irish taxation by two millions the 'Budget would not add half a million. There was not the slightest doubt that '-the whisky tax would be- removed. In reply to Mr N. Griffiths, member tor Wednesbury, Mr Hobhouse, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, admitted that had the export duty on coal been retained, and had exports not decreased in consequence, the revenue of 1909 would have benefited to, the extent of £3,000,000. Sir Charles Dilke, interviewed after ■presiding at a meeting of advanced Radical members of the House of Commons, declared that the production of the Government’s resolutions have 'made an extraordinary difference. He ‘added: “The sky is blue as blue can be.’J • Mr Henry Dalziell stated that the resolutions were a distinct score for the Radical section, because they made no 'mention of reform of the House of ’Lords. RADICALS’ AMENDMENT. Mr Dalziell has given notice in I;he House of Commons of an amendment providing that a Bill shall become lavafter the House of Lords’ second re-

jection. Other Radicals commend the appointing of the Speaker as interpreter ’of an infringement of the House of Commons’ rights, instead of delegating the duty to such a tribunal as a judicial committee of the Privy Council. The Constitutional Club lias subscribed £SOO to inaugurate a Unionist ’workingmen candidates’ fund. Sir AVilliam Ball and Captain Mor-. rison subscribed £looo' each. The Treasury received £170,000 in 'income tax during the .past week, compared with £1,427,000 in the corresponding week of last year. DISSOLUTION RUMORS. According to lobby rumors the Pre‘mier has given the Nationalists ground for the belief that the Government intends to resign upon the rejection by the House of Lords of its resolutions ‘directed against their power of veto. If Mr Balfour takes office, the House, 'in which the Liberals have a majority hvill then refuse supplies, and Mr Aspuitli will therefore decline to take office again without receiving assurance that the Veto Bill will be passed. LEGAL DEFECTS IN THE VETO RESOLUTIONS. (Received March 24, 8.45 p.m.) LONDON, March 24. The Unionists are gleeful over the discovery of a,; singular defect in. drafting the first veto resolution. It ‘contains no prevision forbidding the House of Lords referring a Budget to the people instead of actually rejecting it. .Moreover, the second resolution does net provide against the Peers continually postponing' Bills until the session’s end, when the Government would be forced to abandon them. It is officially explained that the three - successive sessions mentioned in the second resolution may extend from one Parliament to the next. 'MIL LLOYD-GEORGE DENOUNCES , ' THE LANDLORDS. (Received March 24",10.50 > Mr. Lloyd-George, .at a'mass meeting of the Gladstone League in the Queen’s .Hall, denounced Tory landlords for intimidation and interference 'with rural voters at last election. The ••Liberals, he said, would never secure the economic independence of workmen 'while feudalism remained. Two thousand five hundred landlords owned twoVhirds of the soil, and thus exercised ■complete sway over the livelihood of 'millions. A voice interrupted: “Tax -them out of existence.” Mr. LloydGeorge retorted: .“I have made a ’start.”

(Revived March.'2s, 4.30 p.m.) Several Unionist papers are denouncing Mr. Lloyd-Georgo’s violent- language upon the subject of interference -fry landlords in the elections, and lay stress on the fact that no such complaints were made during the' election of 1906. ' Mr. Lloyd-Gcorge describes the Gladstone League as a city of refuge for persecuted voters, which will employ an avenger of blood and prosecute intimidators. LIBORITE DENOUNCES LIBERAL •‘LITERATURE. 7 ’ Mr. Thomas, Labor M.P. for Derby, r,peaking at Glamorgan on behalf ol Mr. Hartshorn, 'Socialist candidate for Mid-Glamorgan, said that never before had he seen a party descend to the •level which the Liberals had reached in the literature they were circulating. He hoped that the Liberal headquarters in London would make themselves 'acquainted with it. The House* of Commons adjourns until Tuesday, and the House of Lords ( till Thursday.

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