IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2862, 3 September 1895, Page 1

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

London, Sept. 1. Saturday’s sitting in the House of Commons disposed of the Estimates. The debate on the Army Estimates showed that the House approved of the Government reforms, especially with regard to the supply of small arms ammunition, Mr St. John Broderick, Under-Secre-tary for War, pointed out that the remedy had been provided for by the supply of 4,000,000 rounds, costing £IIO,OOO. There was an all night sitting of the House on Friday owing to Mr Healey’s aggressive attitude in Committee of Supply. Mr Heaton declared that the colonies desired the penny post, but wore never invited to join in it.

Lord Halsbury, Financial S:crotary to the Treasury, said that the reluctance of the colonies was a great stumbling block to postal union at present, and barred the penny post.

Mr Provaud, M.P. for Blackfnars, Glasgow, suggested that a committee should be set up to enquire into past and future mail contracts.

Lord Halsbury replied that a departmental committee of enquiry was proceeding, but ho was quite willing to sub mit the suggestion to the post-oliico.

Sir C. Dilko and Mr Chamberlain condemned the action of the Marquis of Ripur, in pot spending £50,000 for the poor. The vote of £20,000 for the boginning of the Government railway from bassa to Victoria passed. Mr Balfour replying to a question in tho House of Commons, said that the Government had no intention to vote a special pension to tho Duke of Cambridge, who wiis entitled to a retiring pension of £I2OO per annum.

Tho Marquis of Salisbury in tho House of Lords, said that tho negotiations were proceeding with France with respect, to both banks of tho Mekong in Siam. Tho tendency of Franco and China was, no doubt, to underrate tho claims of Great Britain, but tho matter was being discussed in a friendly spirit, and to his mind a satisfactory result would ousuo.