IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 12, 13 January 1913, Page 2

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

THE DISESTABLISHMENT BILL

(By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright (United Press Association.)

London, January 10

On clause 14, safeguarding incumbents’ life interests, Mr. Gladstone moved to include the right of commutation in order to immediately sever the Church and the State.

Mr. McKenna said that the acceptance of the amendment would mean material financial alterations. The reason why the Government did not include commutation was that incumbents should retain life interests wherever they were living. He agreed that the commutation principle was wise, and would therefore submit a new clause at the report stage. The amendment was negatived. The Welsh members strongly opposed Mr McKenna’s acceptance of it.

GOVERNMENT’S NARROW VICTORY. On the Welsh Disestablishment Bill Mr. E. A. Goulding moved an amendment to allow consideration of the claims of 561 assistant curates for compensation. Mr. McKenna strenuously opposed the amendment, which was negatived by 230 to 190. But for the Nationalists the Government would have been in a minority of thirty. Many Radicals abstained from voting. Messrs. Barnes, Walsh, Keir Hardie, and three colleagues voted with the Conservatives.

THE LAND QUESTION

IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION,

London, January 11

Viscount Haldane, Secretary for War, speaking at Manchester, said that the land question required much treatment and gz-eat caution. I was still in the enquiry stage at the moment. The making of some suggestion had not yet been arrived at by the Government.

After consultation, the Prime Minister, Mr. Lloyd George, and Mr. Pease have decided that education is the most urgent of the great social reforms. Elementary, secondary, and higher education are in a chaotic state. A great step forward must be taken. He was authorised to announce that Mr. Lloyd George is ready to throw himself into the' question with wholeheartedness. It has' been shown that the insurance outlay is costly but productive. What has been done for coming generations must not be at the expense of the ratepayer. A national system must be one entire and whole, starting from the standpoint that the child must be made fit to z-eceive education. The Government had been busy with experts for some time, and saw the path along which it was going in a colossal undertaking.