CABLE NEWS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2363, 2 December 1908, Page 5

CABLE NEWS

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

THE LICENSING BILL.

prospects of an election

United Press Association. Copyright

LONDON, Nov. 30

Tho “Times,” referring to Mr. BirrelPs declaartion, states that everything indicates that the Government are not in a hurry to dissolve Parliament. They apparently prefer to drop the Licensing Bill' to introducing a new measure devoid of extravagant features.

The “Daily News” interprets Mr. Birre.ll to mean that next session will be the last of tho present Parliament. The “Daily News” favors an immediate appeal either on the Licensing Bill or the House of nerds’ Veto Bill, which-will be introduced early next session.

THE EDUCATION BILL. HIGH CHURCH OPPOSITION. LONDON, Nov. 30. Mr. Runchnan has agreed to-discuss the question of finance with Catholic education experts. The Bishops of' Birmingham and Manchester, Lords Salisbury, Newcastle, Shaftesbury, Halifax and Hugh Cecil, Dean Wace, and other advenced Churchmen are forming a committee to oppose the future stages of Mr. Runciinan’s Bill.

THE FIRST CLAUSE CARRIED

AN ACRIMONIOUS DEBATE

(Received Dec. 1, 9.55 p.m.)

LONDON, Dec. 1

In the House of Commons the first clause of the new' Education Act, giving State aid only to publicly-control-led schools, abolishing the tests for teacliersjy and making the CowperTemple system of teaching compulsory for three-quarters of an hour daily, was carried by 238 to 144, after a sharp acrimonious debate. Mr. Asquith implied that Mr. Balfour was trying to wreck the measure.

Mr. Balfour declared that Mr. Asquith dare not use such offensive language if the committee were not working under the gag. He urged the Government to say whether a complete understanding had been reached with the Anglicans and the 'Catholic hierarchy regarding the adequacy of the Government’s financial terms.

Mr. Asquith denied representing the Bill as a complete agreement. He regarded tlie principle of the first clause as representing the concession which the- Church made to Nonconformity in return for corresponding sacrifices in later clauses made by the Nonconformists to the Church. He was anxious that the right of entry should' be adequately safeguarded, and considered contracting out an essential feattire of the compromise. The exchequer would, he said, . pay con-tracted-out schools 85 per cent of the cost jier child, leaving only 15 per cent to be provided by subscription's.