BRITISH ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1922, Page 5

BRITISH ELECTIONS.

CONJECTURES AS TO DATE. PARTY QUESTION PROMINENT. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, Oct. 13. The political situation is developing in an amazing manner. Everybody is hanging on the coming speeches of Mr. Lloyd George and Mr. Chamberlain, the purport of which nobody knows. The only apparent certainty is the proximity of an election. There are various estimates of the date, all conjectural. One, usually weH-inforihed, suggests that Mr. Lloyd George, who is absolute arbiter in the matter, will effect a dramatic coup by forcing an election during the first week of November. It is significant that his closest confidants make no sign of knowledge. It is believed that he has not taken into his confidence anyone, except a few selected m/embers of Cabinet.

Some Conservatives advocate a wholesale stampede from the Coalition, even mentioning Lord Derby’s name as the leader. Lord Derby does not deny or affirm the statement. In this connection the Coalitionists, notably the Daily Chronicle, argue that if the Conservatives fight the Coalition Liberals at the elections, Labor will possibly win 200 to 250 seats. The Chronicle declares that the Laborites are already counting on the possibility of a split, instancing the declaration of the principal organisers in a recent speech that the Laborites may possibly be charged with the formation of a Government.

Mr. Austen Chamberlain, speaking at Birmingham, said he could not say when the election would take place, as it was Mr. Lloyd George’s prerogative to dissolve Parliament, but he was convinced that in any new Parliament there must be a Coalition Government. If Labor obtained a majority at the elections he foreshadowed Government by caucus with a capital levy destroying industry. Therefore they must not permit national reconstruction experiments to fall into the hands of a subversive, if not a revolutionary party. PREMIER’S WIFE. DISCUSSES CURRENT TOPICS. London, Oct. 12. Damn Lloyd George, supporting the Coalition candidate for Leytonstone, said the general election could not be very far away, although she could not say exactly when it would come. Recently when the issues of peace and war were in the balance, unscrupulous speakers and scribblers had had their fling, and played a most contemptible part. They had shown no consideration for those engaged in preventing the fires of Smyrna crossing into Europe and in keeping the freedom of the Straits.

The Government and the Allies had succeeded in inducing moderation in the Turks’ demands. During the crisis Ministers were unable to indulge in domes-

•ntroversies, but when Mr. Lloyd George spoke on Saturday his supporters would not be disappointed in his re-