"EVE OF ELECTION."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 649, 28 October 1909, Page 7

"EVE OF ELECTION."

OLD AGE PENSIONS. MR. DALFOUR'S. CENSURE OF MR. URE. LORDS ADJOURN. (By Telegraph.—Press Association -Copyright) | (Rcc October 27, midnight.) | London, October 27. Speaking at a meeting of the Conservatue Union, Mr..'Balfour referred to the doubt expressed by tho Lord Advocato for Scotland, 1 Mr. Alex. Ure, as to whether tho Unionists, if returned to power, would continuo to pay old Age pensions.. Mr. Balfour denounced Mr. Ure's remark as being frigid and calculated. Mr Balfour incidentally spoko of "standing on.'tho eve of an electoral contest." DEVELOPMENT BILL THROUGH BOTH HOUSES. (Rcc. October 27, midnight,) London, October 27. Tho House of Lords read tho Development Bill a third time, and adjourned until November 8. [Tho Development Bill was recently described as meeting with an unexpectedly cordial reception in the House of Lords.' Tho amendments made by thß Lords: are in tho direction of securing Parliamentary control of the bureaucracy which is to administer the fund and the expenditure on developmental works, roads, etc. The Lords also modified the -very general language employed, deleting tho all-embracing phraseology that allowed money to be spent for any, "economic development."] SIR JOHN GORST AS A LIBERAL. TO OPPOSE ME. COX. . London, October 26. In order to cast ridicule upon the Finance Bill, the Opposition endeavoured to raise a discussion in the House of Commons at the report 6tage upon tho thirteen buds of land value mentioned in the measure for tho guidance of Government valuers..

i Sir John Gorst, noiv 74 years of ago, an exConservative who supports the Budget, will stand ns a Liberal for Preston, in opposition to Mi. Harold Cox, who, though a Liberal and Free-trader, is anti-land tax> and antiSocialist.

SIR JOHN .GORST'ANO MR. COX. ' Owing to tho .opposition of Mr. Cox to the Government's' land .taxes, the executive of the l'reston' Liberal Association, recommended the association to drop' his candidature for the next election: In reply, Mr. Cox issued' a statement defying the ; association's executive. He contends that he has kept his election pledgee, and. that.last.April the Liberal Association decided to . support him at the next election "lis an independent Free-trader, leaving both sides free to go their own way on other questions. .In any event,-. I, intend to stand at the next '■ election in '• support of the same causes' for.'Which I; fought in 1906—Freetrade, fair:, play'-fpr ; 'all religious denominations, equity in taxation, andieconomy ; in publie expenditure. 'According to the view of the Preston Liberal Executive, any ; man who. gets into Parliament with their assistance' becomes their .slave. ■ His pledges to the constituency are to-.'count, for nothing. Ho.iis .to.oea'se. to .have cither conscionco or 'will. However often tHo wirepullers of the caucus may change their mind's, he is to obey their orders. Believing that tho-triumph of this' view would bo fatal to. Parliamentary government;■ believing also that it;is repugnant to,.the vast majority both of Liberals and Conservatives in 'Preston! my clear/duty: is to fight"; ■:?= ; : :.i.\- r "; '.'■;■> ,\ ... 'Sir John Gorst was just as convinced'a Conservative Free-trader as Mr. Cox is a Liberal Free-trader. - Bat while Sir John Gorst approves the Budgetiand its land taxes and' becomes. Liberal, Mr: Cox: bitterly opppses the land imposts, and, bnt for tariff reform, might become Unionist. In'a speech last month, Sir John Gorst, clearly referring to' Mr. Chamberlain, remarked: "Word has Bono forth froni the-real leader-of. the Tory, party, and the Lords will, reject the' Budget.. The nominal leaders of the , party; are unable to Restrain them, • The hold which "the'.tariff reformers haw obtained in ■ the'."Unionist counsels has sent.jthqfveteran' Frte-trader .into the camp of the:Liberals,Vand;ho .will endeavour to'.oust the 6ther !; Free-trader from l'reston.. '~..:;