SPEECH BY SIR E. GREY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12387, 7 December 1909, Page 5

SPEECH BY SIR E. GREY.

LONDON. December 5

Sir Edv.ard Grey, addressing 3,000 Liberals at Leith, declared that the country was in for the greatest fight for generations. The Government might have fought the Lords on education. but were justified in remaining in office, because they had saved tho country great damages in South Africa, and established a scheme of Army reform which had appealed to the whole icountiry "and enlisted its spirit and support to a voluntary principle. Now the fight had come there was no choice but to fight it through and ,bo glad there was no chbica When tha. Lords in 1884 obstructed the franchise, 'they recoiled owing to the country rising in indignation. Now, however, no retreat was possible, and there was no opportunity for repentance, the Lords having burned) their boats. ' The Liberals were determined to assert for ever the House of Commons' right, to be uncontrolled in regard to finance, and assert the Liberal Government's right to be uncontrolled in. regard to finance, and assert the Liberal Government's, .right" to hold office on fair terms., having the Houso of Lords, responsible to the f eelmg of the country, or, if unreformed, some mutual settled arrangement ensuring that the will of the House or Commons in the long run would prevail. Referring to Lord Curzon's idea to reform the House of Lords into a

smaller body of, superior persons, chosen by themselves, Sir Edward Grey added: " There could be no real reform unless the hereditary principle was abolished ad pqnpular election substituted" (Loud cheers).

LONDON, December o. Tho Wins an:l Spirit Association and tho Wholesale Tobacconist Protection Association have agreed to pay the duties during the interregnum." Primate Bourne, Lords Cromer, Avebury, Balfour of Burleigh, Courtney, and Hugh Cecil, Dr Clifford/ and others, .'n a manifesto to the electors, point out the advantages of proportional representation. Mr R. R. Cherry, Attorney-General for Ireland, in thanking his constituents for 'past support, said that Ireland would never be loyal to the Em- j pir-s until- placed in complete control of its own internal affairs. Mr Winston Churchill, at Preston, said that the Liberal Party did not intend to' "undertake the burdens of. Government again unless the fuel for effoctiv-i powers was given them.