"CONTINGENT GUARANTEES."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10150, 21 November 1910, Page 5

"CONTINGENT GUARANTEES."

THE PREMIER REFUSES TO BE DRAWN.

MR REDMOND SILENT.

Received Last Night. 5.5 o'clock. LONDON. November 19. Mr Asquith, in the House of Commons, said he did not prefer guarantees. At the end of the debate he was besieged by demands to define what he meant by "contingent guarantees." Replying, Mr Asquith declined to give a definition. He would, he said, cont ; nue to decline to make a statement regarding his advice to the King, who must stand aloof from political conflict. Lords Cromer and Lansdowne ques • I tione Lord Crewe on the same subject. • I Lord Crewe declined to say more , than if the Government was returned to power' with a working majority it ! was assumed that the Lords would give effect to the will of the people. The. Liberal papers praise Mr Asquith's courage and coolness in man- 1 aging the crisis. A feature of the debate was Mr Redmond's sitting silent but radiant. ' The Conservative papers consider that the cry against the Peers has less driving powerjthan it had a year ago. Government critics complain that there is no justification for a dissolution. The Lords, they say, had never seen the Bill which they are i accused of refusing to adopt. Contrary to precedent, the Government is using the expiring register, when, by waiting a few weeks, they could have had a better and more representative register. Already there is a great outcry at the prospect of the elections interfering with the Christmas trade. The tyrannous action of the Gov ernment in not permitting the Lords to amend the BillJ affecting their own fate ia condemned. Although the Government declares that the election is a stnight-out fight on the Veto question, it is maintained that payment of members has been thrown in as a sop to catch votes. The elections will commence on December 3rd.

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Received Last Night, 5.5 C o'clock. LONDON, November 19. Mr Asquith, relying to Mr Locker Lampson, Unionist M.P., stated that the Imperial Conference would be held at the close of the Coronation celebration.

PAYMENT OF MEMBERS

ITS EFFECT IN IRELAND,

Received Last Night, 5.50 o'cock. LUNDON, November 19. The Times' Dublin correspondent states that the payment of members will create many independent candidates in Ireland, and shatter the Nationalists' discipline.

A "TRICKY DISSOLUTION."

Received Last Night, 5.50 o'clock. LONDON, November 19. The Right Hon. Alfred Lyttelton, speaking at South London, said the dissolution was being broughi about in a tricky way, and by slippery manoeuvres.

MR BONAR LAW

Received Last Night, 5,50 o'clock. LONDON, November 19. Mr A. Bonar Law.l Unionist member for the Dulwich Division of Camberweli, will contest the North West Manchester seat, which is at present held by Sir George Kemp, Liberal?

ATTITUDE OF THE LABOUR PARTY. WILL MOT SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT. Received Last Night, 5.50 o'clock. LONDON, November 19. Mr G. N. Barnes, Labour member for the Blackfriars Division of Glasgow, says it is impossible for the Labour Party to be associated with the Government. The Bill, he says ought to have been before the Lords a month ago, instead of being discussed with closed doors. The House had not heard a word regarding the guarantees. Apparently the election would be fought on the same issues as in January last, and with the same register, excepting that a number of working men would be disfranchised owing to removals. He protested that the Government was not dealing with the poverty problems,which were not to be solved by speeches.

MR LLOYD-GEORGE.

AND THE STRUGGLE WITH THE LORDS. Received Last Night, 5.50 o'clock. LONDON, November 19. The Right Hon. D. Lloyd-George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, replying to the Labour criticisms, said the struggle with the House of Lords was full of difficulties, and was not likely to be concluded. If they entered upon it in a spirit of "nagging," it would be futile. The Labourites were not the only people who were allowed to talk of poverty and distress. The Liberals, he pointed out, had given the old age pensions.