BRITISH POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 October 1924, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

lUBTKALIAN AND N.Z. CADLE ASSOCIATION. LONDON. Oct. 17. Labour is springing surprises by nominating numerous candidates, with the object of spoiling the Liberal chances in straight-out fights with the Conservatives. Mr Baldwin is opposed at Bewdlev. though the Liberal is withdrawing. CANDIDATE FIGURES. LONDON. Oct. 17. Then* are at present over Rio!) candidates standing for the election. Probably 13 will lie returned unopposed, including g(> Conservatives. 8 Liberals and 8 lnhniiries. There is likely to be L’!)3 straight-out fights between Labour and Conservatives candidates, compared with !)!) last year, and -It) between Labour and Liberals, compared with •V>. and SI between Conservatives and Liberals compared with 100.

NATIONAL DEBT REDUCED. LONDON, Oct. 17. Tlu* net reduction of £01.7i3.103 in the national debt last financial year is recorded. LORD BIRKENHEAD. LONDON, Oct. 17. In a speech at the Conservative Club Lord Birkenhead, after alluding to the Premier’s sliiftv evasiveness, at tanked the Russian Treaty, and described it as an insolent threat. Tu a speech at Hammersniitli the Attorney-General said a bloody revolution might come if the Conservatives were returned at the election. AIR M.irDONALD’S VOICE GONE. LONDON. Oct. 17. .Mr MacDonald had a lively passage when motoring to-day from Birmingham to Abortion, in passing through hostile territory at Worcester, where be declined to make a speech, saving his voice was gone and lie wanted to rest. . He was greeted with cries ol ‘‘traitor” at Malvern, while at Ledbury a huge Union Jack was held before the car, amid shouts ol ‘‘Down A\ ith the Red Flag.” . .. The Premier had an enthusiastic reception at Newport and Cardiff. He was unable to speak at Cardiff owing to voice failure. He is described as looking worn and ill. THE FIGHT BITTER. LONDON, October 13. Britain has now enjoyed a week’s electioneering, wherein the issue has practically been narrowed down to thi-s:—‘‘Are von in favour of Labour or not?” Cynical Labourites sav: ■‘When the Conservatives and the Liberals do agree, their unanimity is wonderful!” It is an undoubted fait that most of their speeches are so similar that the newspaper readers would not know whether they were reading the address of a 'Liberal or of a Conservative, if they did not look to see tin* name of the speaker. ’1 he. Liberal sneakers refrain from attacking the Conservative Party, while-the Conservatives have never a word to say against tin* Liberals, but they rather welcome them as their ‘‘long lost brothers.”

Some of the Liberals, however, are rather uneasy at the sudden inanite.sfatioii of affection. As one instance theieof, Air Asquith, in reply t-> a heckler last night said:—“l am not

going to support the Conservative Parly! lam standing here as a Liberal!” The respective leading article writers of the papers are similarly cliastened towards each other and they reserve their weapons for the Lahbonrites solely. The language on both .sides which has been bitter from Hie start, is now becoming bitterer. The you’re another stage, will probably be reached next week. The ‘‘Daily Express” says:—“The controversy in the Campbell ease is now at the stage wherein the Alinisters arc accused openly ami definitely of a deliberate falsehood. AR.MY "j- GANI'J DATI ..:. LONDON. O: tober Jo. The candidates selected for nomination have icached fourteen hundred, these comprising the following: Conservatives 533 Constitutionalists 7 Liberals 310 Labour -135 Co-operatives 9 Communists 3 Nationalists -1 Others M f J here will lie about ‘JIO tinoe-eurnor-eil contests, or nearly (Jit less than there were last year. LONDON, October 17. (Jut of the more than Plot) candidates, probably only 13 will he returned unopposed, including lit j Conservatives. eight Liberals, and eight .Labourites. Those returned unopposed include Air Baldwin; Speaker Whitley; the Postmaster General, Air Hartshorn; and Air T. P. O'Conner (Father of the House). The Conservatives’ headquarters have alieady issued Go fans of printed matter throughout the lountry. Their posters and cartoons deal mostly with “Bolsheviks,” ami the unemployed.

Mr Baldwin announced lie will continue the Bent Control for two years if his Parte is rcturncu.

HON W. CHURCHILL. LON BOX Oi toiler 17. Mr W. Churchill appeared in the role of' Lord Wellington at the Greens Hull, where he vigorously attacked the Labour Government, lie declared the prosperity of the Umpire depended upon the result of this election. The Special Administration were unutterably dull. They gave no evidence of a single original idea. The British Socialists, he said, were the most -tupid in the world. They borrowed their ideas from Germany and Russia. Tho Socialist Parly was not a democratic one. Mr Marßonald. while attacking the capitalist system, had inconsistently and insincerely embraced bis first opportunity of becoming a capitalist. ’1 lie Socialists are humbugs. “At Ibis critical moment.’’ he said, “like Lord Wellington at Wateiloo, tho whole line will advance.” Ho helioved that tho whole line in Britain would advance together to a new realisation of British National power and fame. Three cheers were given for Mr Churchill as “a new ’Wellington.” TjOXDON Octdbr ,17.

Lord Birkenhead declared in a speech that he posscsosd confidential documents showing that inlliience was exercised in the Campbell ease, in which tho Home O/lhe was not unconcerned, which might still be exposed bv an inquiry if the election resulted as the Conservative Party hoped it might.

In speech at Taunton, Air Baldwin (Conservative Leader, said that if returned to power, the Conservatives would see that a teform of tho marketing of foreign meats and f<r"

stuffs, which was overdue, was tarried out. Tho present Agricultural Wages Act would he maintained. A powerful Commission would he immediately formed to enquire into th< causes of the rise in the prices of food. 'While, he said, no inter-party conference on agricultural problems had eventuated, he would be prepared to cottier with the whole agricultural industry. LONDON, October 17. In a speech given at Derby. Mr .T. H. Thomas (Colonial Secretary'), alluding to the Government’s Imperial achievements, said that theirs was tho kind of effort to develop and improve Imperial relations within the Common-

wealth, not by increasing the price of the people’s food, but by cndeavouiing to ascertain who was responsible for tin* people’s meat being bought in 1 hts colonies at two pence per pound, and sold to tlic consumer hero in Britain at sixteen pence per pound. That, he declared, was the kind of necessary work which the 'Labour Government was endeavouring 'tf> tackle.

AIR A!AC'DONALD’S TOUR. LONDON, October IS. All the press correspondents agree that Air .MacDonald has had a most wonderful reception in Wales. The Premier said that, personally, he did not care a snap for his opponents’ insulting inquiries regarding the Campbell case, hut some of his colleagues wore highly stung at this. The Premier was here interrupted with:—"They ought to lie!” Tin’s brought cries of: “Put him out!” “Scrap him !” Air .MacDonald explained that - lie meant to convey that it did them credit. There were scenes of the wildest enthusiasm on the arrival of All’ Ramsay .MacDonald in his constituency of Aberavoii. He was greeted hv vast crowds, blocking the town for several miles. The Premier looked utterly worn or. He said that lie had never been so tired in his life. The crowds were so dense that the Premier’s car took an hour and a half to proceed a distance of three miles. Sometimes it was completely held up, and was even in danger of upsetting. Finally the ear broke down, owing to the surging crowd. After this, Air .MacDonald continued his journey in a motor bus. Several times he delivered a speech to the delighted crowd, though his voice scarcely was audible. Air .MacDonald said they were polling to have a finer, bigger, and a more decisive victory on bis own battlefield than ever. The British Minors’ Federation have issued a manifesto, calling on the mining district voters to unhesitatingly support Labour candidates. It declares the working clascs can be proud of their own Government’s record of achievements. It the Labour Party is returned to power, it will, as soon as possible introduce a Bill for tlic nationalisation of the mines. At present the mine workers and i..eir families are suffering in a "'.ay beyond description. There are nowover one hundred thousand mine workers idle. Pits are closing down every week. The wages are still below Iho subsistence level. # The Council of the Trade Union Congross voted CIOOO for the Labour Party election publicity fund, and appeals to unions to make special grants to tin* Labour Party’s fighting fund.