HOME POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 October 1919, Page 4

HOME POLITICS.

ALIENS BILL AMENDMENT. GOVERNMENT DEFEATED. fAUSTBALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] London, Oct 23. . A curious situation has arisen in House of Commons as a result ot the Government's defeat by 185 votes to Ix 3 on an amendment to the Aliens Bill. The amendment related to the clause providing that no alien should hold a pilotage certificate.

Mr E. Shortt pointed out that Such a clause would conflict with the Pilotage Act, 1913, and detrimentally affect French pilots, and he proposed the amendment to meet the difficulty.

The House rejected the amendment, whereupon Mr Bonar Law immediately, moved the adjournment till' Monday, though he ridiculed the idea that the Government was going to resign. The debate showed that a majority of the members, of flip Hquse of Commons desired more drastic measures against aliens than the government was embodying in the ill. ' The adjournment will enable the Gpvernufent to reconsider the whole problem. Although it is admitted on all hands that the Government’s defeat will not precipitate a crisjs,- .the newspapers claim that it is a significant indication of the determination of the House to reassert its independence and restore its control oVer the Executive- The revolt was headed by over 100 Coalition Unionists, vyho demand the strengthening of the restrictions upon aliens and the carrying out of election pledges, too many of which ha T ’e been neglected. The Government survived two bad divisions on Wednesday on the same'Bill when the support pf 53 Labqar members and Independenr Liberals practically saved tjjein. Labour, however, refused to let yesterday’s opportunity slip, and voted against the Government, while Sir Donald Mac Leah and other “ Wee Frees” did not vote.

THE FINANCIAL SITUATION,

London, Oct 23. The House ol Lords discussed the financial situation.

Lord Bpckmaster favoured a large increase in the income tax instead of a capital levy or a levy 011 war prpfits, fh'ough all three were possible remedies, especially a tax on war profits, which would thus restore to the community money which should never have been lost Lord Milner said there was nothing in the position to justify the ta]k of bankruptcy. The British financial.situation was less serious than in any country except perhaps the United States and Japan. The panic which certain newspapers were fomenting was due to an unjustifiable belief that the Government did not realise the gravity, of the situation. It would be unwise to adopt ill-considered measures. “ The wolf is not at the door,” he said. A capital levy might do irreparable mischief to the recovery ol trade. We certainly ought not to lake more income-tax from incomes under The people with small fixed incomes suffered most as a result of the war. We ought to stop the waste involved in the unscientific use of raw materals and Should not bewail the reduced coal output, when we might double its value by a better use thereof. The country ought to develop electricity, wireless communication, and new forms of transport. There was also amine of wealth in* some of the undeveloped colonies and protectorates. There was a danger of getting into the habit of regarding ourselves as a poor country. Lord Milner added that he agreed it was only fair that people who became enormously rich as a result of the war should make a special contribution to relieve the community’s burden. He could not say whether the execution of that principle would produce such confusion as to threaten us and so many individual acts of injustice as to compel its abandonment, but the project deserved careful. study and consideration. . The debate was adjourned.