BRITISH POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 324, 15 January 1909, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

CABLE NEW« (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copy, right.)

.MT-toi ill ill!. CHL'ItCHJLXi. 1.1.1U11.M (JF THE LOP.DS.' .i..'. i.vvii Of Til IS -NEXT (,'KNEIUL ELECTION. Jicceived 14, U.3j p.m. London, u.iiiumy 14. Air. Win,lun Cliincnill, President of the Hoard oi Trade, speaking at Jlirmii.gii.iiii, regretted thai the gn-at home oi militant liailical.siu had (alien into I lie giip of a narrow-minded h et of Liberal and t nionist politicians, who were without a single generous principle of government, j,« did nut deny thai uie lecrnt bye elections involved a sensible ruin-lion of feeling of an character, but such elections were insuflieieiil to dclleit the (Jovernnieat's policy one linirsbiendth. The Government

would only dissolve at a time most advantageous In the general interest of the progressive cause. He ridiculed the air of solemn humbug with which Lord Lansdow ae habitually invested the proceedings of the House of Lords. Effective <ind far-reaching reform of the. House of Lords must be nil issue of tho general election. Whatever the result, no Liberal (Jovcrnnient at any future time would assume office without securing guarantees that reform would be curried out. After claiming that tlie (Jovernment had done much legislatively niiil was able to do much more, Mr. Churchill challenged the Urds to force | a dissolution by rejecting the next Bud* get. If they really desired a speedy appeal to flip "country, personally he would be quite' content to see the battle fought as speedily as possible upon tlie plain and simple issue of aristocratic rule against representative government; between reversion to protection and maintenance of free trade; between tax on bread and tax on—"weft, never mind what." The statement was greeted witi laughter.