BRITISH POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 334, 9 March 1910, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

ANuTHEfi LAi>OLtt VOICE. LABULii \\ j-Via Tilt BuuGET. iJj' Cable. —Press Association. —Copyright London, Marcii i. Mr. Piiii. buuwueii, Lauour uituiuer, speaking at caruui, said the country was not ripe lor tue auolition oi tne House oi Lords. Any Liueral Party attempting to make ns reconstruction a dominant election issue would be driven into the wilderness lor another gencraJtion. Any reioiui of the .Lords would make the second chamber infinitely stronger against democratic progress. The .Labour Party, lie added, wants the Budget.

THE RECENT ELECTIONS. HEAVY VOTIKG. London, March 7. The votes polled at the recent general •lection were 0,0(57,810, out of a possible 7,700,049, equal to 80 per cent. THE LIFE OF PARLIAMENTS. GOVERNMENT PROPOSES A SHORTER TERM. Received March 8, 5" p.m. ; London, March 7. Mr. Asquith announced that the resolutions of the 29th will include proposals anortening the life of Parliaments. COL. SEELY BACK TO PARLIAMENT. Received March 8, 10.15 p.m. London, March 8. The Dkeston election resulted: Col. Seely (Liberal), 10,304; Wright .(Unionist), 0874. THE COST OF CONFUSION. PAYING INTEERST ON TAXATION REVENUE. Received March 8. 11.30 p.m. London, March 8. Replying to Lord Balcarres, Mr Lloyd George stated that the Bank of England was deducting income tax front dividends, with the Treasury's concurrence, but the deductions were not jpaid into the exchequer. He added that he was taking the advice of the law officers as to whether income tax .payers who paid believing the Government would carry the Budget before the 31st March, were entitled to refunds. The Mail, commenting on the position, says it is evident the country is paying £2OOO daily in interest upon its own money which the banks are lending the Government. A GOVERNMENT "LIFE." . Received March 8, 11.30 p.m. London, March 8. Mr Ramsay Mac Donald proposed: a motion urging that a fair wages clause be instituted throughout, the Government service. I Mr C. E. Mallet admitted that the War Office sometimes paid below trade union rates. The Unionists promised Ramsay MacDonald their support, and the defeat of the Government seemed imminent, but the Liberals talked out the motion . THE LORDS ON THE SITUATION. Received March 9, 12.40 a.m. London, March 8. The Lords passed the War Loan Redemption Bill. In the debate on the second reading of the Temporary Borrowing Bill, Lord Lansvlowne said the Government asked the Lords as a special favour to pass two bills at a single sitting, yet they would not stoop to ask for power which would render the present oorlowing unnecessary. Earl Crewe described the Opposition's Offer to facilitate financial measures as an olive branch shot from a catapult. The two Houses were in a state of war. The Lords would doubtless' win back the practice of splitting the Budget into different Bills', hut the Commons were not going to agree. Lord Cromer said the Government had debtors willing to pay money, yet replied, "I prefer to borrow, and insist on not heing paid." The present deficit in income tax amounted to £17,000,000, whereon the interest was £I2OO daily.