The Daily News. FRIDAY, JANUARY 21. THE BRITISH ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 294, 21 January 1910, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JANUARY 21. THE BRITISH ELECTIONS.

It is too early yet to forecast with an degree of certainty the probable resul f of the elections and the strength of the rival parties. There is no disguising the fact, however, that the have made considerable headway, although it seems almost an impossibility that they will be anything but a fairlv considerable minority at the finish. Up to the present they have made a nett gain oil the Liberals of 42 scats out of the 30!) polls declared, but to get within grasping distance of the Treasury benches their rate of gain in the remaining 3CI electorates will have to be infinitely greater. That they will continue to make up ground now there is every reason to believe, for undoubtedly thy showing they have made in the elections already decided must havo an effect on fiiosc still remaining. Tile vital question at stake now is whether [ or not the Liberals, if returned withbut a working majority will accept the people's verdict as a mandate to fone the Budget through, iuid deal with the House of Lords. There is, it would seem, more than a possibility that the Nationalists may hold the balance of power in the new Parliament, a circumstance which, in the light of the speech by the senior Government Whip which we publish this morning, opens up a ground for considerable speculation. Whether the Government is diplomatically "hedging"' on Home Kule or not it is impossible to say, bat there is no doubt the Irish question will he an important facior in deciding the rest of the elections. One outstanding feature of the polling so far is that the majority of the Unionist gains belong to the seaports, suggesting that the naval question has played a greater part in the issue than we have been led to believe. However, nothing but a complete reversion of public feeling;, no strong indication of which has yet been given, can, it would seem, prevent the Liberals returning to power sufficiently powerful to continue their humanitarian policy. [Since 'Che above was in type, a cable has come to hand containing an important statement made by Mr. Asquith respecting the Liberals', intentions regarding tke House of Lords, and the extent of self-government he Is prepared to grant to Ireland.]