No-Confidence Hint

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 707, 5 July 1929, Page 10

No-Confidence Hint

WARNINGS GIVEN TO LABOUR Other Parties on Qui Vive British Official 'Wireless Received 11 a.m. RUGBY, Thursday. Questioned ill the House of Commons today regardingthe resumption of diplomatic relations with Russia, the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Arthur Henderson, said lie could say no more at present than that the Government was in communication with the Dominion Governments on the subject; but he hoped to be able to make a statement at an early date. An undertaking had been given at the Imperial Conference that the British Government would not resume negotiations or normal relations with Russia without acquainting the Dominions.

He added: That is what we have done up till now. We shall not depart from that undertaking. Answering a further question on the subject, Mr. Henderson said no suggestion had yet been made to the Dominion Governments as to the conditions on which diplomatic relations with the Soviet Government should be resumed, nor had the subject been discussed with representatives of the American Government. GERMAN REPARATION In the course of the debate on the Address-in-Replv, Mr. Winston Churchill said he looked forward to hearing the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Philip Snowden, defend the new German reparation settlement, says an Australian and New

make the workers in important industries mere pawns to party politics. GOVERNMENT WARNED The former Chancellor of the Exchequer warned the Government that the moment it attempted to put into practice the fundamental vices . and fallacies on which the Labour Party was built up it would be swept from office. Mr. Lloyd George, Leader of the Liberal Party, said if the Liberals were satisfied that the Government was earnest in its endeavour to overcome electoral wrongs the Liberals must assist them to overcome the innumerable Parliamentary difficulties by which it was confronted. But, if the Liberals found the Government was trifling with the subject merely to gain time until it suited it to go to the country again under the old conditions suspicion would inevitably be engendered, which would be fatal to the usefulness of the Government. The Government’s policy in regard to the mines was the same as he had offered in 1919, which Labour and the trades unionists had rejected. Mr. George warned Mr. MacDonald that there was a danger of wounding susceptibilities and arousing suspicions by entering alone into a conference with the United States. Nevertheless, Mr. Hoover was not the man to enter upon a conference without a firm determination to make a success of it. The debate was then adjourned. Members subsequently eagerly discussed Mr. Churchill’s reference to a no-confidence motion, also his friendly attitude toward the Liberals. Some interpreted his speech as an invitation to the Liberal Party to unite against the Socialist forces. All were agreed that the Government’s policywill be sharply reviewed six months' 1 hence in the light of events. MR. SNOWDEN REPLIES Mr. Snowden, answering questions, said that no representations had been made to the United States that the tariff increases must add to the difficulties of paying the British debt to America. The Prime Minister’s announcement of the Government’s intention in reference to safeguarding and the McKenna duties, Mr. Snowden said, were clear and explicit. He had nothing to add before the Budget. No representations had been made to France regarding the debt to Britain. He had received the experts’ report on the subject. He was not prepared to make a further statement at present.

Zealand Press Association message. If Mr. Snowden could persuade France, to pay more and America to take less he -would receive congratulations. But it would be odd if Mr. Snowden’s first important act was to defend a European settlement which would leave Britain worse off than she was when the Chancellor described the position as scandalous. Mr. Churchill reiterated Mr. Baldwin’s demand that the Government should provide a week in January or February for a debate on a no-confidence motion. If the Government repealed the McKenna duties it would be from a political, not a financial, motive. It would ibe extremely wanton and cruel to