HONE POUTIOS.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 February 1922, Page 5

HONE POUTIOS.

QUESTION OF ELECTIONS. SUPPORT FOR COALITION. PREMIER’S INTENTIONS. >y Telegraph.—Press Assn—C-py right. Received Feb. 24, 7.20 p.m. London, Feb. 23. The position regarding a general election is obscure. The frequent recent rumors of Mr. Lloyd George’s resignation add interest to an important fighting speech by Lord Birkenhead at the Junior Constitutional Club. The Chancellor vehemently defended the coalition. In the three years after the armistice the nation stood beaeon-like in an unstable and faltering world, showing that in Europe there was one people who had confidence in their Government. “The demand for the dissolution of the Coalition is the counsel of insanity,” he added, “and the great leaders outside the Government—Mr. Bonar Law, Lord Derby and the Duke of Devonshire —agree with this.” Referring to the Prime Minister, Lord Birkenhead said: “I think it is extremely unlikely that a atateamaa of world-wide reputation hke Mr. Lloyd George will st*bmit indefinitely to the kind of humility and criticism to which he is now exposed. There is not the slightest chance in existing conditions of an independent Unionist Government obtaining an adequate majority in the country. The independent Lib erals do not count, but there is the great menace of the Labor Party, which is winning seats daily and will continue to win seats until they are faced by a body with a coherent and intelligent doctrine, expressed by courageous men who understand their own minds.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Awn. QUESTIONS IN THE COMMONS. NO MONEY FROM GERMANY. London, Feb. 23. Replying to a question in the House of Commons, Mr. Lloyd George said there Was no indication of a desire on the part of the overseas Governments to hold an Imperial Economic Conference with a view to carrying out the scheme of economic co-operation agreed upon at the Imperial. Conference of 1917-18, therefore it would be no advantage to the Imperial Government at present to summon a conference. Sir Robert Home stated that Britain had not yet received a penny of indemnity from Germany. On the contrary, the cost of occupation was over a milliard of gold marks and this had been repaid to the extent of 970 million, of which £2,640.000 had been paid to Canada and Australasia. The Ministry of Labor has circularised employers’ associations and trade unions throughout the country asking for recommendations as to carrying out the Geddes suggestion for making industries instead erf the State responsible for unemployment