POLITICAL CRISIS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 319, 19 February 1910, Page 5

POLITICAL CRISIS

MR. ASQUITIFS DILEMMA. PROTRACTED NEGOTI AT lONS. THE ATTITUDE OF LABOR. THE VETO IN THE FOREFRONT. By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright Received February 18, 0.45 p.m. London, February 18. There are indications that the crisis

has reached an acute .-,0.1 ge. Six Cabinet meetings have beea held within the week. After a meeting lasting .for two hours it was adjourned until late this afternoon.

Mr. Asquith, in the interval, had a further audience with the King.

Meanwhile, Mr. T. P. O'Connor was mediating between the more extreme men, and a Minister interviewed the Master of Elibank twice, and next conferred with Mr. Redmond and Mr. Dillon.

Then, apparently, an understanding was reached.

Subsequently, Mr. Barnes, after consulting with Keir Hardie and other prominent colleagues, authorised the fol- j lowing statement, embodying the Labor : Pinny's tooiicry: j " Despite his Albert Hall speech Mr. Asquith will hold office without assurances from the King regarding the veto,' which, moreover, is only to he dealt with after the Budget. I know that course will not be acceptable to the Labor Party. It implies that the powers that be think the election was not sufficiently decisive in regard to the veto. It involves, therefore, another election before the Lords question is settled. If an election must occur we ought to have it as soon as possible. lam aware that the reply ■ to all this is' that the finances of the country must he straightened. I said the responsibility for the confusion should he put on the authors. I Doubtless the difficulties could be j overcome by loans and otherwise." ' The Liberals interpret Mr. Barnes' statement as' a declaration of war on the Government unless the Lords question is decisively dealt before with before progress on any other business is attempted. . THE NATIONALISTS' STAND. WILLIAM O'BRIEN'S LONE HAND. ANOTHER ELECTION POSSIBLE. THE TIMES ON THE SITUATION. Received February 18, 10.10 p.m. London, February 18.

Mr. T. P. O'Connor states there will be no crisis if the Government is' able to declare that the Veto Bill -will become law despite the Lords' hostility. The Nationalists are opposed to sending up the Budget before the veto is dealt with, inasmuch as it would be tantamount to recognising the Lords' right to accept or reject it, thus restoring the very power the nation declared the Lords should never again possess. Mr. O'Brien, in a letter to the NorthEast Cork League, says he is sure they are unshakeably attached to a policy which is already making the Radicalised Irish party pause before conniving at the robbery of Ireland through LloydGeorge's Budget.

Mr. Dillon, In a letter to the Kilkhagh branch of the League, acknowledging a contribution to the Parliamentary fund, says another election may be forced on Ireland before many weeks.

The Times' Parliamentary correspondent s'ays some of the extreme Radicals are prepared to move an amendment on the Address, regretting Mr. Asquith's not asking for an assurance from the King. The Times, in a leader, says Mr. Barnes' statement is considered as a manifesto, distinctly unpleasant, but it forgets the author of the confusion was the Government. lit introduced a Budget, which the Lords referred to the people, and the result is such that the Budget cannot now be passed. The Lords were justified, and the whole case against them falls to the ground. MR. <W. O'BRIEN. London, February 17. Mr. W. O'Brien has decided to s'it for Cork City. It is expected that an O'Brienite will be elected for the northeast, for which Mr. O'Brien was also elected.