MR. ASQUITH'S GREAT SPEECH.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 212, 16 October 1916, Page 3

MR. ASQUITH'S GREAT SPEECH.

LONDON, Oct 11. In the House of Commons, Mr. Asquith, in moving the war credit vote, said the expenditure since the first or April, had been £949,500,000, confirming his forecast of the 24th of July. They had still between £IOO,OCO,OUu and £100,500,000 in hand, sufficing till the 27th October. At the present rate of expenditure, which there was no reason for assuming would decrease in the immediate future, the new vote would suffice until Christmas. Dealing with the progrss of the war, he mentioned that though the weather in Syria and Arabia did not allow of extended operations, much progress had been made. The ranwa.. to Katia and Senussi had been reduced to impotence. Germano-Turkish intrigue in western Egypt and the Soudan had been effectively checked. The most noticeable features on the Western front were our steady progress, and the enemy’s inability in every case to recover lost ground. Our artillery had won by our great superiority in aircraft which had a complete mastery. The enemy’s heavy losses had drained his resources, and the continuous retirement had destroy ed his army’s morale. He paid a tribute to the achievements of Russiu and Italy, to the complete and mutual confidence of the general staffs of the four Powers, resulting in a co-ordinat-ed purpose tuid effort. Their gratitude was equally due to the smaller States. He concluded by saying that on the Allies’ achievements the besthopes of humanity would depend. They had given without stint or regret what they could least afford to give, and had done so only as the price whereby the world could purchase and hold dear afterwards—the protection of the weak, the supremacy or right over force, the free development and equal conditions for each State whether great or small. Mr. Wardle, on behalf of the majority of the Labour Party, said he supported the Government to the utmost. They had the most complete sympathy with every object enumerated by Mr. Asquith. In the House of Lords, Lord Lansdowne said the Government was introducing a Bill to enable soldiers,and sailors and war workers to vote outside of tbeir constituencies.