IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 136, 26 October 1912, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

THE INSURANCE ACT. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. London, October 24. At a meeting of Liverpool chemists the majority of speakers declared it would be impossible to accept Is 6d or even 2s for drugs without incurring bankruptcy. LORD ROBERTS'S SPEECH. London, October 24. A number of Liberals, including Mr. Markham, Mr. Noel Buxton, the Rev. Silvester Home. Sir W. P. Byles, Mr. Morell, Sir A. Spicer, and Mr. Murray Mac Donald, have signed a protest against Lord Roberts's Manchester speech. The protest expresses its entire disbelief in Germany's warlike intentions, and deplores the bitterness whicfi such statements cause.

i THE SUFFRAGETTES. London, October 24. Sir Rufr.s Isaacs, in the House of Commons, said it was not intended to prosecute Mrs. Pankhurst for a recent speech in which she advocated the .wholesale destruction of property. THE HOME RULE DEBATE. London, October 24. Mr. James Hope's amendment to clause '4, to bring the Irish Executive under the control of the Imperial Parliament, was negatived by 280 votes to 190. Mr. Birrell said that if the Irish Parliament was intended to have live force and responsibility, it must have executive control. Mr. Balfour, ridiculing the clause, said itnat he foresaw chaos if the executive resigned owing to the Lord-Lieutenant exercising the right of veto. Sir Edward Carson said that the Government was not prepared to give the Irish full rights of self-governing, because it distrusted them, and because Ireland refused to assume full financial obligations, on which the rights of every self-governing colony were based. Greatly as he loathed the Bill, if Ireland must have Homo Rule, he would much rather see it work out' its own destinv in its own way, than this hybrid monster, which did not embody any constitution.

Sir Rufus Isaacs complained that the Unionists were insisting on safeguards, and then refusing them. He added that the Government was unable to treat Ireland like the self-governing Dominions, because the relations were different. 'the HOME RULE BILL. Received 25, 10.10 p.m. London, October 25. Clause four of the Home Rule Bill was carried bv 200 to 197, and 70 amendments were guillotined.