IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 348, 26 March 1910, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

TORY LANDLORDS DENOUNCED. > MR, LLOYD-GEORGE'S VIOLENCE. By CaM«. —Press Association.—Copyright! Received March 24, 10.50 p.m. London, March 24. Mr. Lloyd-George, speaking at a mass meeting of the Gladstone League at Queen's Hall, denounced Tory landlords * for intimidation and interference with rural voters at the last election. The Liberals would never secure economic independence of workmen while feudalism remained. Two thousand five hundred landlords owned two-thirds of the soil, and thus exercised complete sway over the livelihood of millions. « A voice interrupted: "Tax them out of existence." Mr. Lloyd-George retorted: "I have made a, start."

• THE CHANCELLOR DENOUNCED. Received March 25, 5 p.m. London, March 24. Several Unionist papers are denouncing! Lloyd-George's violent language upon the subject of interference by landlords in the elections, and lay stress on the fact that no such complaints were made during the election of I^o6. Mr. Lloyd-George described the Gladstone League as "the city of refuge for persecuted voters, which will employ an i avenger of blood and prosecute inthnidator3."

. UNDESIRABLE LITERATURE. Received March 25, 5 p.m. London, March 24. Mr. Thomas, Labor member for Derby, speaking at Glamorgan on behalf of Mr. Hartshorn, said never before had he «seen a party descend to the level the had reached in the literature •Jthey were circulating. He hoped the liberal headquarters in London would make themselves acquainted with it. • The House of Commons has adjourned until Tuesday, and the Lords till Thursday.

DEFECT IN VETO RESOLUTIONS. UNIONISTS GLEEFUL. Received March 24, 8.45 p.m. / London, March 24. The Unionists are gleeful at the discovery of a singular defect in the drafting of the first Veto resolution. There is no provision forbidding the Lords referring the Budget to the people instead of actually rejecting it. Moreover, the second resolution does not provide against the Peers continually postcxming Bills until the session's end, when the Government is forced to aban--Bon them. It is officially explained that the three successive sessions mentioned in the second resolution may extend from one Parliament to the next.

"THE SKY AS BLUE AS BLUE CAN BE." RADICALS' SATISFACTION. London, March 23. Sir Charles Dil'ke, interviewed after presiding at a meeting of advanced Radical members of the House of Commons, declared that the production oi the resolutions made an extraordinary difference. He added that "the sky is blue as blue can be." Sir Henry Dalziel stated that the resolutions were a distinct score for the Radical section, because they made no mention of retorm of the House ot Lords. He has given notice of an amendment providing that a Bill shall become law after the House of Lords' second rejection. Other Radicals commend appointing the Speaker as interpreter of infringement of the House of Commons' rights, instead of delegating the duty to such a tribunal as the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

The Constitutional Club subscribed '£soo to inaugurate a Unionist workingmen candidates' fund. Sir William Bull and Capt. Morrison subscribed £IOOO each. At a meeting of Labour members it was decided to move an amendment on the Premier's resolutions in favour of abolition of the House of Lords. The Chronicle states that the pasteage of the Budget through the House of Commons is practically assured, notwithstanding that no compact has yet been made with the -Nationalists. Mr. T. O'Connor, M.P., speaking at Glasgow, said that instead of increasing Irish taxation by two millions the Budget would not add half a million. There was not the slightest doubt that the whisky tax would be removed. THE PREMIER'S TACTICS. According to lobby gossip the Premier has given the Nationalists ground lor foelief that the Government intends to resign upon the rejection by the Lords) of his resolutions directed against their power of veto. If Mr. Balfour takes office the House, in which the Liberals have a majority, will then refuse supplies and Mr. Asquith will thereupon decline to take office again without receiving an assurance that the Veto Bill will be passed.

GENERAL ITEMS. London, March 23. The Treasury received £170,000 income tax during the past week, compared with €1,427,000 in the coiresponding week last year. In reply to Mr. N. Griffiths, memOer for Wednesburg, Mr. Hohhouse, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, admitted that had the export duty on coal been retained, and exports had not decreased in consequence, the Tevenue of 1909 would have benefited to the extent of three millions.