BRITISH POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 February 1931, Page 3

BRITISH POLITICS.

ELECTORAL REFORM BILL. LONDON, February 3. The House of Commons carried the second reading of the Electoral Reform Bill by 295 votes to 230. The Prime Minister, Mr Ramsay MacDonald, supporting the alternative vote in the Bill, said that the Conservatives’ objection to the measure was that it would prevent them from sweeping a majority of seats by a minority of the total votes as they did in 1924. He had never approved of proportional representation. TEN PER CENT. REfeuCTION. SAVINGS IN SALARIES AND PENSIONS. LONDON, February 3. Tll the House of Commons the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Air F. W. Pethiek-Lawrence, in answer to a question, said that a 10 per cent, reduction in salaries and pensions of over £2OO per year throughout the Civil Service, Army and Navy would save between £5,000,000 and £6,000,000 per year.

ARBITRATION REFUSED. BRITISH HOLDERS OF FRENCH WAR BONDS. LONDON, February 3. Replying to a question in the House of Commons, the Chancellor-of the Exchequer, Mr Philip Snowden, said that the French 'Government had refused arbitration 011 the claims of tlie British holders of French war bonds. CONSERVATIVE MEMBER RETIRES. BY-ELECTION FOR FAREHAM.

RUGBY, February 3.

A bv-eleetion will take place almost immediately in the Fa reham Division of Hampshire, owing to the resignation of the Conservative member, Sir John Davidson.

Sir Thomas Tnskip, who was Attor-ney-General in the late Government, will he flic Conservative candidate. He states that he is anxious to return to the House of Commons in time to take part in the debates, on the Trades Disputes Bill. In a three-cornered contest at fJm

General Election Sir John Davidson

had a majority of 11,OIK).

Major-General Sir John Humphrey Davidson has been, member for the Fareliam Division of Hampshire since 1918. He was horn in 1876 and served with the King’s Royal Rifles in the South African W‘>r. He also served in the European AVar. In the 1929 General Election tlie result of the poll for Fareliam Division was as under:— Sir John Davidson (C) ... 19.756 Mr C. P. Cross (Lib) ...... 8,630 Mr A. J. Pearson (Lab.) 8,034 EAST ISLINGTON SEAT. EMPIRE CRUSADER WITHDRAWS. RUGBY, February 3. An exchange of letters between Aft Paul Springman, representative of the Empire Crusade and the United Part/ in the East Islington by-election no"* pending and Miss Cazalcn, the Conservative candidate. lias resulted in the withdrawal of Mr Springman. and the contest will now be one among Labour, Conservative, and Liberal candidates. Tlie vacancy was caused by the death of the Labour member. Dr. Ethe'l Bentham, who bad a mnioGty nl‘ 0000 over the Conservative candidate and of 4000 over the Liberal candidate in t**e General Election.