WOMEN'S FEDERATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 101, 14 September 1912, Page 5

WOMEN'S FEDERATION.

ji'EKCH 15Y .Mil. CHURCHILL. FEDERAL iIuMF, RULE. By Cable-Press Association—Copyright. Received 13. 10.20 p.m. " " London. February 13. Mr. Churchill, speaking at Dundee, at the Women's Liberal Federation, was much interrupted bv suffragists! who were ejected. One' lied herself to the railing of the balcony. Mr. Churchill outlined a scheme of' Federal Home Rule. There was no difficult;- in Scotland and Wales, but very real difficulty in England. So great was the populace, that an English Parliament, whatever its functions and limitations, would be almost as powerful as an Imperial one. If there was a divergence of feeling or policy between the English Mid the Imperial Parliaments, or a quarrel between these tremendously powerful bodies, the State might be torn in half and bring great evils upon all. If it was desirable to work up a federal system, we must face the task of dividing England up into several self-governing areas. Lancashire, Yorkshire, the Midlands and London were instances of convenient legislative units. lie had no hesitation in saying that larger units of local government would be of great advantage. They would afford a larger sphere than is open at present for the activities of women. lie was not in the least disturbed by the prospect of seeing ten or twelve separate legislative bodies elected for the discharge of functions entrusted to the Imperial Parliament. The creation of a federal system in the j United Kingdom would be an immense task, but each part would be better 'looked after. Public life would become l richer, administration more sympathetic and searching, and the central ■parlianjent be relieved of a vast oppressive burden. There would i>e more leisure for attending to the foreign and colonial policy. The United States had a great many parliaments, and Germany ■had separate kingdoms, principalities and armies woven into a strong federation. Canada. South Africa and Australia found the federal system the only way to reconcile general interests. An organised state, with a special development off each part of it. would be another step toward that closer union of the overseas Dominions. He put the matter forward, not as an indication of the Government's policy, but to bring forward a question to which many political issues were moving. The settlement of the Irish quarrel was a vital and indispensable preliminary to a larger reconstrutc-ion. The speech was too late for general criticism by the newspapers elsewhere. s'.i. Churchill stated that the Governiicnt's policy on and reform would be Announced later. It was not one of confiscation, but a sober one justified by economic arguments and alterations.