BRITISH POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 November 1922, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

CANDIDATES TOTAL 1266. MUCH VOTE-SPLITTING FOUR MAIN PARTIES. LLOYD GEORGE UNOPPOSED. By Telegraph.—Pros* Assn.—Copyright. Received Nov. 6, 12.45 a.m. London, Nov. 5. The nominations for the general election totalled 1265, consisting of: Conservatives .«_•.•»• ••• - . 439 Liberals 352 Labontes ......... 324 National Liberals (supporting Mr. Lloyd George) 105 Independents 21 Representing other brands (including one Socialist and one Sinn Fein er) 25 Fifty-nine were elected unopposed, consisting of 42 Conservatives, 7 National Liberals, 5 Liberals, 4 Laborites, and one Nationalist, namely, Mr. T. P. O’Connor. The following Ministers were elected:— Mr. Hogg (Solicitor-General), Sir C. A. Barlow (Minister of Labor), Mr. E. F. Wood (President of the Board of Education), Sir A. Joynson Hicks (Parliamentary Secretary of Overseas Trade), Mr. Wilfred Ashley (Office of Works), the Earl of Winterton (Under-Secretary for India). Others elected unopposed include Mr. Lloyd George, Mr. J. H. Whitley (the Speaker), Sir H. Hope (chairman of committees), Sir A. Steel Maitland, Sir Ernest Pollock, Mr. George Lambert, Mr. William Adamson, Lord Stanley, and 11 Unionists out of the 13 Ulster seats. Owing to the new party divisions the present election contains a record number of three and even four cornered contests. Owing to increasing friction between the Conservatives and National Liberal Headquarters earlier attempts to establish working arrangements have broken down in many electorates, especially in Scotland. The Conservatives have decided to oppose Coalition-Liberals, including Sir Alfred Mond, Sir Hamar Greenwood, Mr. F. lE. Guest, Mr. F. G. Kellaway, and Dr. J. T. Macnamara, in some of ■which cases Labor is likely to reap a reward from a division of the antiLabor vote. On the other hand Unionists are likely to gain in a larger number of where Wee Frees and Labor are both contesting seats against Conservatives.

Wee Free candidates now number three hundred and Labor four hundred, but in 190 constituencies Wee Frees are opposing Labor, with Unionists ready to gain the spoils. Wee Frees made several attempts to reach a working agreement with Labor, if only for this election and until the simple majority voting system can be amended, but Labor, in accordance with the party’s unaltered policy, steadily refused to make working arrangements with any party. Sir H. Craikf Mr. D. M. Cowan and Sir George Berry (Conservative), representing the Scottish Universities, have been re-elected unopposed. MR. LLOYD GEORGE’S CAMPAIGN. TOUR IN SPECIAL TRAIN. Received Nov. 5, 5J5 p.m. London, Nov. 4. Mr. Lloyd George has chartered a special train with a view to delivering ten minute speeches in support of his candidates in all parts of Britain. Lord Birkenhead will accompany him in the train, which starts this week. THE NATIONAL LIBERALS SPEECH BY THE EX-PREMIER. f DANGER OF TWO EXTREMES. Received Nov. 5, 11.5 p.m. London, Nov. 4. Mr. Lloyd George, in his first speech In London in the campaign, supported by Mr. Austen Chamberlain and Lord Birkenhead, said the nation was faced with one of the most perplexing problems ever called on to disentangle. Men who were now ashamed to associate themselves with the Coalition’s record in a few years would proudly claim a share therein. The duty of patriotic citizens was to steer between the two extremes. The municipal elections showed that the danger of the Socialist extreme, with its challenges to private enterprise and attacks on capital, was not so imminent as was apprehended. The other extreme lay in the danger that a majority in the new Parliament might be forced by a powerful minority to reactionary courses, and that danger was real and imminent. No Government could sit still and do nothing without imperilling the whole social fabric. Tranquillity did not depend on the ship, but on the sea, and if the sea was rough one had to bustle about. The nation must avoid the extreme of ‘•'stand-stillism.” (Every candidate should be asked ■whether he was prepared to place the country’s interests before that of his party, and should be judged on the answer. It was of urgent importance that the new Parliament should contain a strong body of independent men powerful enough to insist on a steady middle course. Mr. Chamberlain said it was well that the Irish peace should be signed by opponents, for its execution by the Irish race would thus be assured. . Lord Salisbury and Mr, Ronald McNeill, two of the most bitter Diehards, had surrendered in their ditch. Lord Birkenhead said he had lost the Wool Sack, but was still captain of his soul. Sir George Younger would be a most difficult man to go for a walk with, and the young lady of Riga would not be wise to keep company with him. There would be no doubt which world return with a smile. It was only where Mr. Lloyd George’s forces were strong that the so-called election pact was being observed.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Association.