BRITISH POLITICS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 907, 20 October 1910, Page 3

BRITISH POLITICS.

SPEECH BY THE CHANCELLOR. WEALTH AND POVERTY. London, Oct. 18. Hon. D. Lloyd-George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, addressing the Liberal Christian League at the City Temple, declared that lor the causes of destitution, unrest and discontent common to Freetrade England and the Protectionist Continent, they had to look beyond the fiscal systems. “Mr Joseph Chamberlain’s tariff reform proposals bad rendered an outstanding service by calling attention to the crying evils festering amongst us. “Great Britain,” said the Chancellor, “never realised the poignancy of the poverty ot her poor until she administered the old age pensions. Out of 420,000 adults who die annually five-sixths have no property. Of the three hundred million pounds passing annually at death, half belongs to under two thousand people. These facts could but betoken organic disease in the British system.” Continuing, Mr Lloyd - George said he doubted the alleged waste and thriftlessness of the wage earners. Civilised countries spent five hundred million pounds annually upon the machinery of war, and if Great Britain’s burden was removed she could pay wage-earners four shillings more weekly without interfering with the profits of capital. Great Britain’s climate was a hard, hard one for poverty. Millions of acres were devoted to those who preserved game, while the avarice and selfish niggardliness of other people perpetuated the congestion of cities. The result was shown in the fact that 50 per cent, of the recruits to the British Army had to be rejected as physically unfit. Mr Lloyd-George condemned the idle rich, with their families and retainers, who numbered two millions, saying “Britain cannot afford so large a free list, and the time has come for a thorough overhauling of National and Imperial conditions.” The masses were expecting great things, he continued, and it was disheartening to witness the sweeping burst of popular enthusiasm spending itself over some trivial project. “ My counsel to the people,” concluded Mr Lloyd-George, “is to enlarge the purpose of their politics and then adhere to that purpose until their redemption is accomplished.” Outside the hall in which he spoke the Suffragists greeted Mr Lloyd-George with cries of “Hypocrite! Scoundrel! Traitor ! ” Two men were arrested for striking Mr Lloyd-George in the face and back. Mr Balfour sent a telegram wishing success to the Liberal Christian League. It was read at Mr Lloyd-George’s meeting;