BRITISH POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 981, 26 February 1910, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

HOME RULE. MR ASQUITH MAKES A STATEi" MENT. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph I Copyright. [ Received February 25, 8.5 a.m. LONDON, Februray 24. In the House of Commons, replying to Captain Craig, Conservative member for Down East, Mr Asquith stated there was no intention to introduce a Home Rule Bill this session. Received February 25, 9.10 a.m. LONDON, February 24. The forty members who urged Mr Asquith to take energetic action with regard to the Lords' veto were Radicals.

NOTICE OF MOTION BY LORD ROSEBERY. Received February 25, 11.30 a.m. LONDON. February 24. Lord Rosebery has given notice o ask the House of Lords on 14th March to resolve itself into a committee to consider reform of the existing organisation, with a view to constituting itself a strong, efficient Second Chamber.

MR AUSIEJN CHAMBERLAIN'S AMENDMENT. REJECTED. THE WORKING CLASSES. MR BALFOUR SAYS NEED NOT BE AFFECTED BY TARIFF REFORM. THE "SAUSAGE" QUESTION CROPS UP AGAIN. DELICACIES FOR FRENCHMEN. WORN OUT BRITISH HORSES. Received February 25, 9.40 p.m. LONDON, February 25. In the House of Commons Mr Austen Chamberlain's amendment, cabled on the 22nd inst., was rejected by 285 votes to 254. The Redmondites and O'Brienites abstained from voting Mr J. C. Wedgwood (Liberal), Mr H. J. Belloc (Liberal), Mr H. Bottomley (Liberal), and Lord Hugh Cecil (Free Fooder), did not vote. Mr Samuel Storey vigorously favoured Tariff Reform, and claimed that the main cause of unemployment was Britain's fatal system of buying goods abroad, which under a reasonable system could be produced at Home.

j Mr Balfour said it was not fantasj tic speculation to say that if preferj ence were adapted it hastened the i time wherein large areas of Canada ! would be brought under the plough, | that the price of wheat would be j diminished, thereby, and that the working classes' contribution towards national expenses need not be increased by the mere fact of Tariff Reform. The Chancellor of the Exchequer could arrange the proportion Mr Lloyd-Georere. Chancellor of the Exchequer, made a vigorous speech in justification of his election statements regarding black bread and offal, and quoted statistics in regard to the consumption of horseflesh and dogflesh by Germany. He certainly called this offal, though the Opposition might regard it as a delicacy. The French, also, eat donkeys' flesh. Fifty thousand British worn < oat horses were exported annually for Continental sausages. Protection did not bring black bread to Germany, but kept it there. The speech aroused a strong party demonstration.

Mr Austen Chamberlain moved the following amendment to —"But humbly represent to your Majesty that this House views with anxiety the state of the trade and employment in this country, and the failure of your Majesty's Ministers to recognise the nature and gravity of the situation, and regrets that there is n« mention in your Majesty's gracious speech of any proposals for enlarging the market for British and Irish produce and increasing the demand for labour by a reform of our fiscal system, which would promote the growth and stability of our home trade, provide means for negotiating for the mitigation of foreign tariffs, and develop our oversea trade, through the establishment of a system of mutual preference between the different portions of the Empire."