BRITISH POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 July 1919, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

GOVERNMENT STRONGLY CRITICISED. SPEECH BY MR. ASQUI+H. By Telegraph—Proas Asnn—Copyright. Received July 27, 11.5 p.m. London, July 26. Mr. Asqulth, speaking at Edgware, expressed serious misgivings regarding our policy in Russia. The future government of Rußsia should be made by the Russians alone. He said the latest official pronouncement regarding Ireland was most disquieting and discouraging. The economic conditions of the world and of Britain ..never had been more menacing. We had a faulty administration. There were cxecessive prices, inflated currency, extravagant profits in favored trades, ar.tl the transport facilities were deficient and dislocated. of war demanded prompt and drastic handling. There was no common policy fop coordination of powers under a central, responsible government. Public expenditure was rising. There never had been so many placemen in the House of Cpmmons Kince the dixys of Queen Anne. No House of Commons ha'' within six months of election possessed in a lesser degree the nation's confidence and respect. Wc needed a real representative Parliament. Wc would never make a real advance towards industrial peace until we were able, with full Cabinet authority, to deal with the situation as a whole.

Referring to the reactionary spirit underlying Hie Triple Labor Alliance's ballot, Mr. Asquith said it meant direct action. He warned his hearers that Parliamentary institutions here and elsewhere were undergoing a severe trial. They would not emerge with success unless they developed to meet present needs. Meanwhile there must be no delay in restoring to the House of Commons permanent independent authority over the whole machinery of government. Never before was the Liberal Party more needed, with its principles of freedom, equality, and diffusion of justice for all men,—Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn-