BRITISH POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9998, 19 March 1910, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

SIR E GREY'S SPEECH.

DISSATISFACTION INCREASING. linitecl Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright, LONDON, March 17. Dissatisfaction regarding the recent speech by Sir Edward Grey, Secretary of State for 'Foreign Affairs, is increasing.

Liberals complain that he has dispelled hopes for adjustment of difficulties with the Nationalists. Sir E. Grey's declaration that the Government intends to proceed with the House of Lords Kef or m lias proved extremely distasteful to the Labourites.

A COMBINATION. Received March 18, 9.10 a.m. LONDON, March 17. The "Standard" states that Sir Edward Grey, the Right Hon. R. B. Haldane, Secretary of State for War, the Right Hon. Reginald McKenna, First Lord of the Admiralty, the Earl of Crewe, Secretary of State for the Colonies, and Lord Wolverhampton, Lord President of the Council, insist on combining reform of the Lords with limitation of to? Veto. The "British Weekly" comjlalns that the Government intends to spring upon the nation a scheme for reforming the Lords and Introducing the Budget. They will do this with the certainty of defeat. The Govern ment, adds the paper, is apparent' ly determined not to approach the King. The Nonconformists' enthuaism for the Government is .nearly worn out.

LORD CURZON'S PROPOSALS. AS INTERPRETED BY THE PRESS. Received March 18, yam. LONDON, March 17. The newspapers understand that Lard Curzon's proposals will be—1. The nomination of an undisclosed number of peers by the Government of the day. 2. The election ot English peers on the same principle as governs the election of rish and Scottish peers. 3. County councils and great corporations to be formed into electoral colleges for the selection of eighty-four representatives of the Upper House. (It haa been understood that both Lord Curzon and Sir Edward Grey have been busy on schemes for reform of the House of Lords).

A SHARP PASSAGE. SIK C. DILKE AND MR McKENNA. Received March 18, 9 a.m. LONDON, March 17. The Naval Estimates were further considered in the House of Commons. The vote of £7,389,400 for wages was agreed to. Mr Lee, answering Mr J. A. Murray Macdonald, Liberal member for Falkirk Boroughs, said the twoPower standard was impossible if friendly nations were excluded from the computations, because others Would expect to be excluded. Sit Charles Dilke, member for Forest of Dean, discussed the treatment meted to the ' Mulliners, and declined to inform- Mr McK-enna, First Lord of the Admiralty, whether he believed the to be true.

Mr McKenna, after' a sharp'passage with Sir Charles Dilke,-declared 1 that the accusations against the Admiralty were baseless.

Repling to questions by some Liberals, regarding Britain's adherence to the right to capture enemy's goods at sea, Mr McKenna stated: "If we deprive ourselves of the power of offence we are still compelled to maintain a supreme navy to protect us against invasion but if assured that in the event of our abandoning the right of capture others will reduce their navies, with the unders'anding that ours shall remain supreme, the Government will be willing to consider proposals in that direction."

"THE MASTER OF THE SITUATION." "NO DESIRE TO PREVENT A FAILURE." Received March 18, 10.35 p.m. LONDON, March 18. Mr J. Redmond, atari Irish banquet in London, said that Che Nationalists were anxious to prevent a failure of the veto campaign, but did not intend to participate in a sham battle, and demanded a straight fight, not a Fabian policy. Come weal or woe they would stand by their pledges. Mr Redmond said he (fid not know whether they would succeed or whether the Irish cause would have to once more wait. Mr T. O'Connor, in a speech at Liverpool, said that in the fight with the Lords the Budget weapon ought to be fearlessly used. Mr Herbert Samuel, speaking at Basingstoke, said that the hereditary principle must go.