IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 375, 28 April 1910, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

COERCING THE KING. MR. BALFOUR SCOLDING. By Cable —Press Association —Copyright. Received April 20, 5.5 p.m. London, April 2(i. Mr. Balfour, addressing the Primrose League at the Albert Hall, denounceu the veto proposals as a revolutionary attempt to make a majority in the House of Commons, which was absolute master of the constitution from tiie Soveign downwards. The Government did not bargain with the Irish; they simply hinted that if the Budget were passeu they would offer up to them the King and the constitution. He believed the Government were using the financial machinery of the country for the purpose of making it impossible for the people to be consulted if the present machination to coerce the King failed. THE LIOEMSE DUTIES. London, April 26. Mr. Herbert Samuel, Under-Secretary of the Home Office, announced that the license duties usually levied in October will be spread over several months. SCOTTISH INTERESTS. A NATIONAL GROUP. Received April 28, 12.20 a.m. London, April 27. Scottish Liberal Commoners are forming a na'tional group to promote tV improvement of Scottish administration, and to advance Scottish reforms. CURE BY UNIONISM. •MR. BALFOUR PRESCRIBES. (Received April 2S, 12.20 a.m. London, April 27 Mr. Balfour,' in his speech at the Albert Hall, said that if the great yj'fgovernirig communities did their duty the Government's constitutional re" o'ution would utterly fail.. Responding to a vote of thanks he said lie believed that social and fiscal reformers must, besides defending the constitution, work upon the lines of the Unionist positive a.i;t constructive programme.

COLONIAL PREFERENCE. Received April 28, 12.40 a.m. London. April 27. The General Purposes Committee o' the Reform League unanimously resolved to support Mr. Balfour's .laciaration ill favor of a policy of colonial Reference without a tax on colnial \vh;at. WILL THE LORDS DARE ? Received April 28, 12.40 a.m. London, Anril 27. Mr. Lloyd-George, incidentally replying to attacks, declared that the country had decided in favor of the Budget. If the Opposition thought otherwise, let th-i Lords reject it if they dared. BALFOURIANTA. A DAILY NEWS COMMENT. Received April 28, 12.40 a.m. London, April 27. The Daily News, commenting on Mr. Balfour's Primrose speeches, states that in Canada, South Africa and Australia the ruling parties all repudiated the suggestion that Unionists are the English nation and the symbols of the Imperial tradition. Mr. Balfour, it continues,* employs reckless revolutionary language, concealing his real purpose. He is ready to uproot the responsibility of the King's advisers, and the nonresponsibility of the King, 'because he wishes to destroy one of the King's prerogatives.