BRITISH POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3222, 21 June 1909, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

LAND TAX PROPOSALS.

THE LIBERAL "CAVE."

FEELING RUNNING HIGH,

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright. LONDON, June 18. The "Daily Mail" says that the Liberal "Cave" will proceed to make amendments on the land tax proposals in the Government Finance Bill, and some will cany their opposition to the point of voting against the Government in a few momentous divisions. "The Times" declares the feeling between the land taxers and the "Cave" is running rather high.

The term "Cave", as applied to discontented members of a party, was originated by the late Mr John Bright, in the discussion on the Reform Bill introduced by Earl Russell's Government in 1866. Several members usually found in the ranks of the Liberals opposed the measure, Mr R. Rowe (afterwards Lord Sberbrooke) and Mr Horsman being the most conspicuous, In a debate on the Bill on 13th March, Mr Bright excited much merriment by giving the name of "Adullamitea" to this section of politicians. "The right hon. gentleman (Mr Horsman) is the first of the new part who has expressgreat grief, who has retired into what may be called his political Cave of Adullam, and he has called about him every one that was in distress and every one that was discontented." The allusion was to 1 Samuel xxii., 1, 2—"David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the Cave Adullam. . . And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unt? him, and he became a captain over them."