BRITISH POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 32, 27 January 1908, Page 3

BRITISH POLITICS.

MK BALFOUR'S SPEECH.

London, .lanuarv 21. Mr A. J. Ualfuiir. addressing the City of London Cwiscrv.itiir A—"ciation, said that, if tli,. l/«1...r I'ailv succeeded in carrvi D g out the piincipl.'s of the "Red Hag,'" it would produce the greatest calamity that had ever happened—not to tlie rich, but to tike poor. The greatness of the country, its industrial position, its wealth, it* productive and inventive power, depended upon private initialiie. No bureaucracy, government, parliament, or trade union would ever promote productive enterprise like individual initiitive. I He predicted a re arrangement oi j political forces, eliminating the old I fashioned Liberals and leaving the Unionists aud Socialists as the militant forces.

DIVIDING THE RANKS. EFFECT OF THE HULL SOCIALISM RESOLUTION. Received Jan. .0, 4.3-2 p.m. London, January 20. Mr. J. Haslani, a member of the House of Commons, announced the decision n; the officials or the Derbyshire Miners' Association was that the Association would not ballot members concerning joining the Labor Representation Committee unless the new departure adopted at the Hull Conference fully explained Stephenson's resolution. It seemed simply that those joining would lie committed to unadulterated socialism. Sir. Harvey, member of the House i f Commons, interviewed, said it would be impossible to associate himself with a man who would like to quelch the vast majority of social reformers.

POLITICS, AND LABOR. THE FLV IN THE OLNTMENT. Received Jan. 20, 4.32 p.m. London, January 20. The Chronicle says that organised Labor will possibly weaken or wreck the Liberal Party, the only practical result being to leave the Tories in possession of the field. Labor men probably do not realise what the proceedings at Hull mean, but the danger is real, and the Labor and Liberal Parties should take their bearings. If the Partv and trade unionists ally themselves "to a policy of Marxian revolutionary sociali*ni, they will alienate sympathy.

THE EDUCATION BILL. OLD-ACE PENSIONS SCHEME. ADDRESS BY~MR. ASQUITH. Received Jan. 26, 4.32 p.m. London, January 25. The Right Hon. Mr| Asquith, speaking at Norwich, said the Government's generoU9 and indulgent facilities with regard to denominational instruction would not be repeated. Their policy would be put to the nation first, and sections afterwards. Regarding old-age pensions, he did not think any satisfactory scheme could be based on a contribution system, but he did not favor pensions at a certain age regardless of need or other conditions. He urged that the system must from tho beginning be untainted by the humiliations attending the poor-law. He denied thai the Liberal Administration desired to injure any class, but desired to assert the overriding claims of classes' interest. A dozen suffragettes were ejected from the meeting.