BRITISH POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3183, 7 May 1909, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

MINISTERS' SALARIES. A GOVERNMENT REBUFF. United Press Association—Dy Electric Telegraph Copyright. Received May 6, 8.5 a.m.* LONDON, May 5. The Standing Committee of the House of Commons, by 15 votes to 13, decided, despite the Government's opposition, that Parliament, and not the Treasury, shall fix the future salary of the President of the Board of Trade. The Bill, as amended, was reported to the House. THE ATTERCLIFFE [ELECTION. "■AN ABSURDITY." Received May 6, 8.15 a.m. LONDON, May 5. The "Daily Chronicle" describes the result of the Attercliffe election as an absurdity. Mr Pointer,it says, was chosen by little more than a fourth of the voters.

A by-election for the Attercliffe Division of Sheffield, rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr Batty Langley, Liberal, on account of ili-liealtn, resulted as follows: —Mr Pointer, Labour, 3,531; Mr King .Ferlow. Unionist, 3,380; Mr Lambert, Liberal, 3,175; Mr Muir Wilson, Unionist, 2,803. STRATFORD-ON-AVON ELEC- __ TJON. TARIFF REFORM VICTORY. Recsived May-6, 11.13 a.m. LONDON, May 5. The election for Stratford-on-Avon resulted as follows: P. S. Foster, Tariff Reformer 5,374 Martin/Radical 2,747 Kincaid Smith 479 Captain Kincaid Smith resigned, and sought re-election over the policy ofjcompulsory military training, but the electoral issue was tariff reform and the Navy. Mr Martin, the Radical candidate, is an ex-Canadian.

CORRECTED FIGURES. Received May 6, 9.15 p.m. LONDON, May 6. During the Budget debate in the House of Commons Mr A. J. Balfour presented corrected figures showing that the white bread firm mentioned on Monday in his speech would hereafter pay £2,000 more than was distributed in a year to its ordinary shareholders.

A LABOUR VIEW. APPLYING THE CLOSURE. CRIES OF "RESIGN" AND "WITHDRAW." Received May 6, 11.37 p.m. LONDON, May 6. In the House of Commons, Mr i Philip Snowden (Labour M.P. for Blackburn) welcomed the Budget because it took from the rich and gave to the poor. His object was to make the poor richer and the rich poorer. There was no other way under Heaven wherebv the poor could be made better off. Mr Asquith justified the Budget, as it was in accordance with Free Trade, and because it was adequate to meet the necessities for 1909 and the necessities of future years without taxing the necessaries of life. He described spirits and tobacco as luxuries or superfluities, and predicted that consolidation of licenses and the raising of the price would ensure the stability"and prosperity of the brewing industry. Mr Austen Chamberlain (Liberal Unionist) severely criticised the proposed destruction of the old Sinking Fund, and the increase of the'income tax. Mr C. F. Masterman (Liberal M.P. for West Ham) said that he did not agree with Mr Snowden that the pourer classes should pay no taxes. A motion to apply the closure was then carried by 308 to 200, amid cries of "Resign" and Withdraw." The Budget resolution imposing a tea duty was voted by 332 to 179. Received May 6, 9 15 p.m. LONDON May G. In the Housr of Lords Lord Alvcstone's Bill, which simply records without pronouncing the death sentence in cases of child murder by mothers when the accused is unlikely to be executed was read a second time by 75 votes to 18.