IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 364, 15 April 1910, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

MR. W. O'BRIEN'S STATEMENT. DEBATE ADJOURNED. A MINISTER HECKLED. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. London. April 13. Owing to the veto debate, Mr. W. OBrien'sj statement with, reference to Mr. Lloyd-George's interviews has been postponed till Monday. In the House of Commons, in reply to Mr. Will Thome's suggestion tliat a condition of affairs analogous to that prevailing when the Chinese were employed continues in full swing on the Rand, Colonel Seely (U.nder-Scoretai'y for the Colonies) emphasised the great difference between imported Chinese, who were outlaws', and Kaffirs, who were living and; working under the ordinary Haw.

Laborites and Unionists further heckled Colonel Seely on the suuiect of the late Mr. Diekins' executors' action for damages begun against Messrs. Uiristie, Manison and Woods, for negligence in allowing spurious articles °to appear in the catalogue of a sale of old china. The late Mr. Diekins' purchased some of the articles from a dealer named Ellis. > MR. REDMOND AND THE BUDGET. . . London, April 13. Opinion is hardening that Mr. RedDiond does not intend to seriously emcarrass the Government in connection with the application of the guillotine on Monday to the Budget motion. NO. 2 VETO RESOLUTION. SIR E. GREY'S REMARKS. Received April 14, 11.5 p.m. London, April 14. Sir Edward Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in a letter to the Berwick Liberal Association, writes' that though supporting Mr. Asquitli's No. 2 resolution now under in the House of Commons, as one. means of overcoming resistance, he does not consider it a final settlement. He emphasfises the Government's full policy outlined in the King's speech. If the " Association again chooses liim as their candidate he will direct their attention to the second chamber's consti--tutional powers. He concluded by hop ing tlhat .the Budget will be passed with all its taxes, except such alterations as are necessary owing to the delay that has occurred.

MR. BALFOUR. "UNDISPUTED SUPREMACY OF - COMMONS." Received April 15, 0.5 a.m. London, April 14. The Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, presiding at the United Club luncheon, said the Parliamentary situation was unparalleled. There was no King's speech in the sense of a .speech announcing the legislative policy. This was carefully withheld from the Commons, and only now -was blurted out by Mr. Winston OHirchill. The only attempt at a King's speech was offered bv Mr. Churchill on Tuesday night, when he sketched a long Beries of minor constitutional resolutions, the offspring of a greater one than Ihe and. his friends. All the talk about social reform was -part of the present Government's gross imposture. Mr. Balfour incidentally mentioned Ihe had not rejected the idea of a referendum, and declared that Conservatives favored the introduction of an elected element drawn from the people. It would be folly to make a Second Chamber wholly elective, for he did not desire to destroy the undisputed supremacy of the Commons.