MR WINSTON CHURCHILL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9346, 15 January 1909, Page 5

MR WINSTON CHURCHILL.

SPEECH AT BIRMINGHAM. ; United Press Association.— By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. ' London, January 14. Mr Winston Churchill, in a speech at Birmingham, said he regretted the fact that the great home of militant radicalism had fallen into the grip of a narrow-minded set of Liberal Unionist politicians, , who were without a single generous principle of government. He did not deny that r the recent hy-elections had involved a sensible ‘reaction, but such elections were not sufficient to deflect the Government’s policy one hair s breadth. The Government would only dissolve at the time most advantageous to the general interest of the progressive cause. Mr Churchill ridiculed the air of solemn humbug . with which Lord Lansdowne habitually invested the proceedings of the House of Lords. Effective and farreaching reform to the Lords must be the issue of the general elections. Whatever the result might be, no Liberal Government at any future time would assume office without securing guarantees that the reform would be carried out. After claiming that the present Government had done much legislatively, and was able to do more, Mr Churchill challenged the liouse of Lords to force a dissolution by rejecting the next Budget, if -they really desired a speedy appeal to the country. Personally, he would be quite content to see the battle fought as speedily as possible upon the plain simple issues, aristocratic rule aganist re presentative government, between reversion to protection and the maintenance of free trade, between a tax on bread and a tax on—well, never mind What. This statement was greeted with langhter.