BRITISH POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10062, 9 August 1910, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

CONFERENCE SAID TO BE DISCUSSING HOME RULE. STRONG FEELING AROUSED. Received August 8, 10.15 p.m. LONDON, August 8. The Scottish manifesto on the Right Hon. A. Birrell's Eighty Club speech, advocating, devolution, aroused that the Conferdiscussing Home Rule all round, including Imperial Federation, as a means of securing reform in the House of Lords acceptable to the Liberals.

The Spectator states the dissolution of the Union and restoration of the heptarchy, plus premature federation, means the ruin of the home overseas. It is not to be believed that statesmen of the overseas Dominions would propose to buily the United Kingdom into disintegrating herself in the name of Imperial Federation. It was an'open secret there were some Australian States who regret the Commonwealth. This was a passing phase which affected] most federations, including the United States, but the disintegration cf Britain would ' be a fatal example to the rest of the Empire. The real explanation of the suggested devolution was a desire on tne part of certain politicians to rid themselves of the sorry Irish dis- : affection, but the country as not goine to risk the destruction of the State in order to make it easier for a j party of politicians to play the game of.catch-as-catch-can in comfort.

Tne Observer says the Conference must stick to the immediata constitution question. To precipitate the introduetion of Home Rule all round would ruin everything.