NAVAL INCREASES

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3526, 30 December 1913, Page 5

NAVAL INCREASES

VIEWS'OF MR ASQUITH

[INDEPENDENT PRESS CABLE] LONDON, Dec. 19. Yesterday’s deputation of 32 Liberal members of the House of Commons to Mr Asquith to protest against Mr Churchill's proposed increase of naval expenditure was a lively and piquant meeting. , , Several members of the deputation declared that they would vote against the Government if the proposal was persisted with, but the report of the proceedings was carefully edited, and the statement issued afterwards said that the Prime Minister expressed the fill Ist sympathy with the deputation s views. . , . accounts stato tiiat' tlie hate was a stormy one. Mr Asquith talked brusquely, declared that the increases were necessary, and repuclfated the references which attempted to throw individual responsibility upon the First Lord. He declared that every member of the Cabinet \\a s equally responsible for the proposal. The' “Daily Citizen” says that Mr Asquith stated that he had little or no sympathy with the plea for cutting down the naval programme, and indicated that if the members of the deputation did not like it they could lump it. If the Government was turned out a far worse position 'would “Dailv News” attacks Mr Churchill, and charges him with substituting for the naval standard sanctioned bv Parliament a very different standard which Parliament did not sanction.