BRITISH POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 41, 13 March 1909, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

CONFIDENCE IN A MEMBER WITH DRAWN. London, .March 11. The executive of the East Hertford shire Unionists' Association withdrci its confidence in Mr. A. 11. Smith, Coil servativc member for the district, 01 the lisral question. fjord Salisbury, in a letter dissenlin; irom the deci>ion, resigned from th presidency of the Association, and ill 1 .■Jdilied Mr. Smith as one of the bes representatives in the country, addin; that the focal question was only « part and not the most important part, of tie Unionist policy.

A LIVING WAGE. London, March 11. During a discussion in the House of Common* on the postal estimates, Mr. A. 11. Hodges moved for the insertion of a stricter fair-wage clause in regard to Government contracts. This led to the Right Hon. JSuxton making the desired amendment, which the Home agreed to. The Ijiboritc.s accepted it as tint-isfactory. During the debate on Mr. Hodges' amendment, the Unionists and some Radical Free-traders objected to the proposal anil endeavored'to compel the official recognition' of local trade union rates. They also insisted on the present fairwage clause, because it opposed the principle of free trade and tile Government's system of placing contracts abroad, where lower wages were under no disability.