BRITISH POLITICS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9416, 10 April 1909, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

. United Press Association.—By Eleo/trio Telegraph.—Copyright. ‘ ' London, Arpil 8. In the'Honae of Commons the Army Annual Bill was £read a third time. It oontains 'clauses enabling colonial legislatures to apply the Army Act to local forces, also a clause making members of "colonial f orces subject to the Army Act When training in the United Kingdom. The Bill provides for the billeting of Territorials on private individuals when inns are unavailable. A discursive debate preceded Parliament’s'ad jonrnment to the 19th. A vain appeal was made to the Government to enable Parliament to present a united front by an assurance of eight Dreadnoughts at the earliest possible date. Several important discussions took place in the House of Commons regarding the recent Naval Conference. In the definitions of conditional contraband the ambiguity of the ; French test suggests that foodstuffs intended for civil population in an 'enemy’s country are liable to siezure inasmuch as it specifies foodstuffs addressed to a trader there, who is known as supplying the. enemy. Sir Edward Grey intimated that before the definitions were finally ratified he would hiake it clear that “enemy” means '*the Government of an enemy.” In the House of Commons, Mr Burns stated that the approaching abolition of the pauper disqualification would mean 317,000 additional old age pensioners at an additional cost of £3,356,800. Constant meetings of the Cabinet have'given currency to rumours that further friction has occurred amongst the members over the Budget. AN EXCITED EX-ADMIRAL. London, April s. Admiral Smith-Dorrien, speaking at a Conservative meeting, declared that the late . Sir Henry CampbellBannerman's remains should be hanged in Trafalgar Square, because he betrayed his country. Several Radicals in the House of Commons demanded urgency for the discussion of the Admiral’s language, but the Speaker refused to consider it an urgent question on the that a retiredg|Admiral was beyond official control.