SHORT SUPPLIES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 764, 12 March 1910, Page 5

SHORT SUPPLIES.

fr — ' "SHABBY MANOEUVRE'' DIVISION IN COMMONS. HERITAGE OF FINANCIAL TANGLE By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyrieht (Eec. March 11, 10.45 p.m.) London, March 11. The publication of tho Estimates has disclosod the fact that the Government is only taking supplies for six weeks, instead of to cover tho session, as is usnol. In tho Houße of Commons Mr. Austen Chamberlain ( Chancellor of the Exchequer in the lost Unionist Government, asked for an explanation. • Mr. Lloyd-George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, replied that the Government waa reverting to the practice which was in operation before 1896, because it waa desirable that the House should keep control over the Executive. The Government did not deem it expedient to arm tho Executive with funds which would make it practically independent of the House of Commons at a critical time. Mr. Chamberlain characterised the plan as a shabby manoeuvre in the Government's Parliamentary game. The Govern- . Mont were holding office by threads which might be snapped at any moment, and were striving to. leave the greatest financial confusion behind them. Lord Hugh Cecil, Unionist M.P. for Oxford University, declared it was clear that the Government intended, at a later stage of tho session, if turned out of office, to ask the House to refuse the Crown supplies. Such a course ■ had not been' taken since the days of Charles L The Government was designing to wreck' the Constitution at all hazardsMr. Lloyd-George replied that the Government were 'simply reverting to the practice of the late Lord Salisbury's Government. Lord Hugh Cecil (who is a son of the late Lord Salisbury) retorted; "Under quite; different circumstances." Mr. Lloyd-George: "It would be a very good thing if the Opposition had an opportunity of .clearing up: the difficulties which they have created." Mr. I". E. Smith, Unionist member for Walton division of Liverpool, moved the adjournment of the House, as a protest against the action of the Government. Tho motion was rejected, the voting being: . Against the motion ••••••■ 354 . Pop the motion 323 Government majority ...... 131 VETO RESOLUTIONS. ' MAY BE MIXED WITH THE REFORM PROPOSALS. REFERENCE TO COMMITTEE OF BOTH HOUSES. 1 ly ToleerapU-Press Association—Gapyrieht London, March 10. Unionist Peers are considering a. proposal'as'to how . they shall deal with the Government's resolutions (dealing with limitation of the House of Lords' veto) and Lord Itosebery's resolution (dealing with reform of the House of Lords). It ,is proposed that, when the Government's resolutions pass the House of Commons and are sent on to tho Lords, the latter House shall suggest that the Government's resolutions, with Lord Rosebery's resolutions, be referred to a joint committee of both Houses.

VETO-CUM-REFORM. When, the new House of .Commons assembled, the Radical section of the Liberals, also the Nationalists and Labour, fought obstinately against the. miring or the veto limitation issue with that of internal reform of the' Lords. They demanded priority of the veto, and in this they appeared to succeed, for Mr. Asqiiith, Prime Minister, announced that he. would on March 29 move a resolution excluding the ,House .of Lords from finance and limiting their general, legislative veto to the lifetimes of a single Parliament; also, that tlieso constitutional changes would be without prejudice to "other reforms in a' subsequent year." v The proposal'of tho Unionist Peers, cabled to-day, appears to aim once moro at casting the two issues into the sams crucible, to wit, a joint committee of both Houses. There is a section of the Liberal party which would like to mix the issues. •' These members believe that a drastic limitation of the veto, undiluted with some measure of strengthening reform, would look too much like single Chamber rule, for which, they oonsider, tho country has shown that it .is not pre-: pared:. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Balfour, recently ridiculed the idea of asking the Lords to assent to tho practical abolition of their House until another was created. The 'Government's solo concern in drafting the resolutions was how; ta keep the Cabinet together.

OLD AGE PENSIONS, £9,220,000. . : . ' DEVELOPMENT FUND.London, March 10. The Civil Service Estimates total £6G,008,102, compared with actiml grants passed last session totalling £62,888,302. The Estimates include.— £14,064,677 for education. £9,220,000 for old age pensions. £400,000 for the Development Fund.' ■ £40,000. for the Prince of Wales's visit to South Africa. RE-ELECTED UNOPPOSED. London, March 10. Mr. P. H. Mingworth, member for the Shipley Division of Yorkshire,, who had to seek re-election consequent on boing mads a Junior Lord of the Treasury, was re-elected unopposed. TO MR. LLOYD-GEORGE. FROM WELSH ADMIRERS IN NEW ZEALAND. London, March 10. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. D. Lloyd-George, has received an illuminated address and a greenstone paper-knife from Welsh admirers in Now Zealand.

lowers together, in Bpite of sectional strife, is a tribute to His power not only as a politician, but as a leader of-men. It is his impenetrable " self-restraint which has helped Mr. Redmond to attain his present power. He organises, he directs, ho controls. He is a master of Parliamentary strategy. Ho knows how to play the waiting game, but he has not wasted the time ho has spent in waiting. Many years he has utilised in moulding his impulsive and high-spirited party into a united whole, looking forward to the opportunity which time was sure to bring. True, ho has struck incidental blows, and struck them; shrowdlv. He has demonstrated that, -perhaps beyond any other leader in the House, he knows how to make the best of opportunity— when to remain silent, when to move.. "He has been described as an orator. That, perhaps, is hardly correct. He has a clear, forceful, but rather hard voice, his words are well chosen, and he always makes Ms meaning luminously clear. But there is no quality of appeal in bis words, and it is difficult to imagine him stirring 1 the emotions of an • audience. His personality .tells because it. is evident he knows what he wants, and means to gat it But he has no power of persuasion over a gathering. He is inferior in this to some of the younger members of his party, notably Mr. Kettle. The House of Commons likes Mr. Bedmond. . He comes of good stock, and even in-his fiercest moods. one does not forget that he is an Irish gentleman. He hits hard in debate, but he is always courteous, always tactful, and dignified. Organisation and opportunity have been the two things in his. mind lor a generation past. Now his hand is on'his sword, and he is looking to the decisive conflict before him." ' ' .