BRITISH POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 January 1922, Page 3

BRITISH POLITICS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CAW. 15 ASSORT.ATION. . I I U. LONDON, January 6. ()I . The “Daily Mail” states: The Coali- i H tion Government is now in great dif-1 Acuities over the heralded general election. The election is provisionally fix- ! ( , t • th Coalition Whips for Febru- j ary 11, when Mr Lloyd George is de- ( ()f sirens of appealing to the country on j the cries of “Pence in Ireland” and 1 “Economy at Home” on the lines oi j Sir E. Geddes committee’s recommen- ' te dations. [ n , Mr Bonar Law, says the “Daily j g( Mail” is desirous of returning to the i ' ' : which will be conveniently ! e) possible only after a general election, j when he will replace Mr Balfour. j ( j ( Mr Auston Ohn-mherain, says the • t) “iMail” is opposed to an election, and i j he lias the official Unionist backing in I i this. I I Lard Birkenhead agrees with Cham- J j berlnin. ! I It is noteworthy that the Unionist " | Party leaders are pledged to House of j ’ i Lords reform before the present House j - |of Commons disappears. This is a proj mise which the rank and file are not ! likely to forget. I The “Daily Mail” says that there ! are technical disadvantages in hold- - | ing an election before the House again , 4 i meets. Considerable moneys are re- j 5 quired for the public services, which ;*- j the House of Commons normally votes, j - j During its adjournment it is usual to , j meet these requirements by tempor- ) arily resorting to the Civil Conting- | | ency Fund, which, however at present i ' ' is almost exhausted. j I Meanwhole the forces against a gen- j ( J oral election are gaining daily. The j J j business community is wishing for a i ~ | respite till trade lias revived. j 1 LONDON, January 7. j k \ The “Observer” explaining the situ-;' f ation, states that Sir W. Younger ar- ; j j goes that before an election there must ; ; be a clearness at any cost, whether by j , ' a split of the Coalition or from other- i • wise the Coalition. The Liberals might | ! hold the balance of power in. the next j Parliament, as the Conservatives must j •| lose a large number of seats, whether j ! election comes soon or later. Hon. j - j Lloyd George, with a smaller majority 'i lin the Commons might lie more than , ' | ever master of the situation, able to J . j make or unmake ministries and combi- . ( \ nations, as he pleased. Younger is op- ( j posed to an election on such terms. ; He will be equally opposed to it later, ■] on the same terms. Younger’s protest , I means nothing, if not that Union- | ists while they have a preponderance , j of power in the Commons must either ! make sure of Lloyd George’s leadership v 1 before hand, or face the alternative of (doing without him. The kernel of | -1 Younger’s case is the reform of the j.' House of Lords before the dissolution, j ! whereby Conservative interests will he i strengthened against possible extrem- ' ism of a future labour majority, but to carry in the present Parliament the ; reform of the Lords on any plan satis-1 factory of Unionists, TJoydl George : j would have to antagonise implacibfy ' both Labour and free Liberals, thereby •-' the Conservatives problem of making ' sure of Lloyd George would he ingeni5. ously solved.