BRITISH POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 219, 21 October 1909, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

TUB BUDGET CONTROVERSY. By Cable.—Pres» Association.—Copyrfj* London, October 19. Lieutenant Bellairs, Liberal member for King's Lynn, has joined the Unionists. Lord Portman, a Liberal and a treetrader, intends to support the Opposition at the general election owing to the Budget proposals. Fifty West London builders have signed a memorial that they have not purchased land since the, lludget W:ll introduced, and that tliey do not intend to do «o until they are assured of the security of a contract being respected by the Government. The memorial also calls attention to the recent unprecedented unemployment duo to the land clauses.

QUESTIONABLE PARTY TA\jnOS. Received 20, D.50 p.m. London, October 20. Mr. Alexander Urc, Solicitor-General for Scotland, addressing a Budget League meeting at Tring, declared that no tariff reformer had shown how revenue was to be raised to pay old-aga pensions. Poor folks' alarm lest * change of Government might cause the loss of their pensiftu waa well founded. The Daily Mail protests that this ii a discreditable falsehood, circulated by a Minister after Mr. Balfour's letter 9f September 13th. PROGRESS IN THE HOUSE. Received 20, 9.20 p.m. London, October So> The Commons, in ttio report stage 'of the Budget, disposed of amendments U the first six clauses. j The Opposition protested that lli Lloyd-George was not producing his promised revised estimate of revenue, which was necessarv in order to judge the effect of tbe Government's amendment*. Mr. Lloyd-George replied that he waa unwilling to issue an estimate without first making an explanatory statement,

. the lords' Aijrinxn>E. ' Received 20, 0.20 p.m. London, October 20. Lord Milner, speaking at Ealing, declared the riffht of the House of Lord! to reject a money Dill waa unquestionable, and doubly unquestionable when It contained matter which properly abonld be included in separate enactments. The Lords would be guided by Lord Lanidowne's advice. The worst feature of the Budget was in its intention to sidetrack tariff reform.