A BYE-ELECTION

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 27

A BYE-ELECTION

LONDON, February 6. The Hon. Thomas Charles Reginald Agar-Robartes (Liberal) has been leturned for Mid-Cornwall unopposed, in place of Mr W. A. M' Arthur (L ), re-signed. The Hon. Mr Roba-rtos was returned for South-East Cornwall at the general election in 1906, defeating Mr H. B. Grylls (L.U.) by 5201 votes to 4029. He was, however, unseated on petition. TRADE AND COMMERCE. LONDON, February 7. In the House of Commons Sir W. H. Holland moved that it was highly important in the interests of tiade and commerce to raise the Board of Trade to a Secretaryship of State. Mr Bonar Law seconded the motion. Mr Asquith admitted the desirability of raising the relative status and emolument of all departments, and also the redistribu- 1 tion of duties, with a view, to increasing L efficiency. i Mr Barnes urged the appointment o* a Minister of Labour in order to avoid con- ' flicting authorities. The amendment was withdrawn. INTERNATIONAL ARMAMENTS. LONDON, February 7. Mt F. E. Smith moved an amendment regretting that the plenipotentiaries at The Hague were not authorised to forward the reduction of international armaments by assenting to the principle of immunity from capture by the enemy of merchantmen, except they were carriers of contraband in war time. j Sir Edward Grey said that, until the Powers agreed to make such reduction in their armaments as were likely to diminish the apprehension of war the Government was bound to consider the subject of armament from the standpoint of the existing situation. Neutrals would have no interest in enforcing a convention with respect to an enemy's private property in war time. Britain's ability to end a war depended entirely upon her sea power. If private property were immune the enemy's me-ins of communication would be open. The undisturbed right of commercial blockade would also be surrendered, and the enemy's whole trade would be unmolested. It was difficult to see how hostilities would ever end. The Government could not incur the risk of diminishing the navy's effective means of coercing an enemy. — (Cheers.) The amendment was withdrawn. CIVIL SERVANTS IN THE TRANSVAAL. LONDON, February 7. Mr Parker submitted an amendment censuring the Government for not safeguarding the interests of civil servants in the Transvaal. Mr Churchill denied that Mr Botha had dismissed British employees to make room i for Dutchmen. The Colonial Office would i try to find employment for civil servants whose offices were abolished. There was reason to believe that the Transvaal Government contemplated a pension scheme. The amendment was w ithdrawn, and the Addiess agreed to. THE ANGLO-RUSSIAN AGREEMENT. LONDON, February 7. An interesting debate took place in the House of Lords on the Anglo-Russian i Agreement. I Lord Curzon said he rejoiced at the harmonious relations now established with Russia. Referring to the Persian spneres of influence, he severely criticised the concessions made to Russia, especially the one involving the admission that the Caspian was a Russian sea. British commercial and other interests were gieater in that ! part of Persia which was sacrificed, without the agreement containing any Russian assurances about the Persian Gulf. Tbafc omission was most unfortunate. Personally he did not feel that the agreement would conduce to the security of India, the prosperity of Persia, or the peace of As. a. Lord Curzon (continuing) said that Britain gained nothing in Afghanistan in return for the substantial concessions granted by her. Although Russia had admitted that Tibet was outside her sphere, the agreement conceded to Russia equal rights to those of Britain, whose predominance in Tibet had been thrown away. Lord Cromer supported the agreement. Lord Fitzmaurice 6aid that if the concessions made to Russia, were correspondingly advantageous to those secured by Britain it would be wise to terminate a long and useless struggle with Russia. Some of the most important trade routes in Persia were still in British hands, and 1 Britain's position in the Persian Gulf was well defined. Any mention of the agreement would not have strengthened it, for Britain's relations to the Gulf were not arguable. Regarding Tibet, the Government followed its predecessois' policy. The debate was adjourned. A BILL TALKED OUT. LONDON, February 8. . Mr Dickinson's bill having for its . object the abolishment of plural voting in London, provision for continuity "of rejiistei' in the. case of removal from one ■

district to another, and the extension of the hours of polling vas talked out.