BRITISH POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 84, 28 March 1908, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

THE LICENSING BILL. THE GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINATION. STAKING ITS EXISTENCE. SPEECH BY MR. LLOYD-GEORGE.

Received 27th, 10.43 p.m. London, March 27. The United Kingdom Alliance meeting at Queen's Hall was marked by uproarous proceedings. Numerous opponents of the Licensing Bill and suffragists were ejected. Sir. Lloyd-George, President of the Board of Trade, urged his hearers to examine the situation in the lurid light of the spirit lam)). The Government, lie said, was not in the least daunted by the result of the l'cckham 'election. The Government was J ready to stake its existence on the stand between the liquor truffle ana the homes it desolated. The Peckhuin result was mui'e than a political defeat. It was a social portent showing the demoralisation the liquor traffic had wrought. Unless Britain's virility was sufficiently »ti*ong to throw off this hypocrisy the nation was fated to the squalid doom of the drunkard- If the Government knew they Mould be expelled from power a fortnight, hence when the division bell came, tliey would rather fall, and on :that fall stand up and begin the fight again, for they were only beginning and must sec it through. He recognised the Archbishop of Canterbury's noble-at- , titude. The Church ought to unite on | this question. If this great Church, which was the official guardian of the people's moral interests, took the lead, every non-conformist would follow. London, March 26. Some of the Liberals declare that the defeat at the Peekham bye - election makes it imperative to pass the Licensing Bill. Otherwise the Party will lose all the bye-elections.

IAIJ AIIX IST BRING IRELANDIfci AFFAIRS.

HOME RULE ADVOCATED. Received 28tli, 12.50 a.m. London, March 27. In the House of Commons Mr. T. M. Kettle's resolution regarding the excessive cost of administration in Ireland, which was not pressed, elicited from Mr. T. Russell a. statement that the question must bo dealt with by Irishmen on their own soil and in tlieir own way. Mr. Birrell, President of the Board of Education, personally hoped that Irishmoii would soon obtain Home Rule. The only solution would be a very liberal measure of Home Rule.

THE PREMIER'S ILLNESS. •' London, March 28. Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman passed a restful night. He is weak, but otherwise his condition is unchanged. IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS. London, March, 27. In tile House of Lords, Lord Crewe repudiated Henry George's land theories as to land values. The Scotland Bill was read a second time unopposed, with a view to introducing amendments ill committee.