BRITISH POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1931, Page 6

BRITISH POLITICS.

AUDIENCE WITH KING. LUnited Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph.—Copyright.] LONDON, October 3. Mr MacDonald, who declined to say whether he will again contest the Seaham .seat, had an audience with His Majesty this morning. THE LIBERALS. LONDON, October 3. The Prime Minister is spending the week-end quietly in the country. The Liberal Party's meetings and consultations are continuing during the week-end. Mil SNOWHEN'S DEFENCE. In the Commons, the third rending of the Finance Bill was carried without division. The ' Chancellor of the Exchequer, answering an Opposition interjection that he should have dealt with the financial position of the country in his April Budget, said that he put before the House last February a statement of the financial position, and addressed a meeting of the Labour Party with much frankness, but got no support. He added that he had said, and would repeat, that latei economies necessary could never be carried through merely with the support of a minority Government. Over and over again he said, the enforcement of economies was such an unpopular thing they could only be carried through either by a united Commons or by a large majority in the Commons. They had to wait for the report of the Economic Committee set up by members of the Opposition, and as soon as that report was decided they acted upon it. They now submitted proposals for economy which were accepted by Cabinet. Concluding, he said: “1 his Cabinet places r the internal resources oi the country upon a sound financial basis. It is, as was said by the President o’f the League of Nations Assembly' a few days ago, an example ol excellent determination of the British people to face up courageously to adversity.