BRITISH POLITICS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10159, 8 February 1911, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

A ROYAL PROCESSION

(Received February 7, 8.10 a.m.)

LONDON, February 6. The first session of the new Parliament was opened to-day by the King in person. His Majesty was accompanied by Queen Mary. There was the usual Royal Procession. The King and Queen were vociferously cheered along the route. The weather was fine, and there were enormous crowds in the i-trects. Members of the Houso of Commons assembled in the House of Lords, where King George, who was in naval uniform, made the revised Accession Declaration. The High Commissioners of the over-seas Dominions occupied seats on the right of. the Throne. * SPEECH FROM THE THRONE. The Speech from the Throne was read by His Majesty. It was exceptionally brief. Reference was made to the following subjects:— King Edward's death. Friendly foreign relations. Hopefulness with regard to the prospect of the new commercial treaty with Japan being arranged. The improved condition of the trade routes in Persia. The interest, being taken in the approaching Imperial Conference. South African Union. PROPOSED LEGISLATION. The Speech also announced the intended introduction of the following measures: — i A Parliament Bill. A Paupers' Pension Bill. A measure providing for sickness, invalidity, and unemployment, and' fixing the trades specially liable.

THE/ADDRESS IN REPLY.

SPEECH BY MR BALFOUR.

;THEi RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT.

(Received Last Night, 10.50 o'clock.)

..,•,. ■„;,;..\ ; v:%.LONl)OJ^,:,B;ebruary,7 r ,.,, The debate on,the Address-in-Reply has, commenced in the House of Commons. The Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, Leader of the Opposition, censured Mr Winston Churchill - for withholding ' the military during the South Wales mining troubles. He twitted him, also, with attending the Sydney Street fire, in company with a photographer, when &n attack ivas made upon the Socialists' Club.. Mr Balfour declared that the Empire had now reached a point in its development where Britain was simply first among her equals. "As equals," he said, "it is not our business to comment upon the actions and motives of the Dominions; but if the agreement between Canada and the United States' was fully carried out, it would have' very dire results upon the" future Empire. It can -hardly fail to make 1 Canada' commercially and economically dependent upon America. For a generation Canadian statesmen have developed trade on Imperial lines. Millions have • been spent in the establishing of a system of transport from' east to west. If the policy : of reciprocity with America is carried out, it will-result from the Government refusing to listen to the long pleadings of Canadian statesmen." .. ■ "

MR. ASQUITH IX REPLY

The Right Hon. H. H. Asquith. replying to Mr Balfour's censures, said that Mr Winston Churchill suffered from the dangerous endowment of an interesting personality. He showed a cool head and wise discretion in connection with the South • Wales trouble. Mr'Asquith said it would be wise to defer criticism .until they knew whether the Canadian and United States agreement found favour in Canada. The present was only an agreement ad referendum. It is certain that Britain would have done nothing to prevent the natural trend of events, \ and there had been nothing in the long run which'was beneficial to Canada. lf,:for the sake of preferential relations, they put a tax on food from Russia, Argentine, and other countries outside the Empire, it was, as certain as the rising sun that the" United States would sooner or.later be forced to lower her tariff walls. , .

THE ARMY AND NAVY

ANOTHER INCREASE IN ESTIMATES.

WHERE IS IT GOING TO END?

(Received Last Night, 11.35 o'clouk.) LONDON, February 7. Jii the House of Commons, Mr J. Ramsay Macdonald, Leader of the Labour Party, said it was rumoured that the Navy and Army Estimates would be increased. He asked where was the increase going to end? It was surely apparent that the present policy Avould not give security, and offered no ending, exi cept, perhaps, it precipitated war or national bankruptcy. He recognised that until a better understanding with Germany was.reached, it was almost a waste of words to discuss a diminution in armaments.

TARIFF REFORM

AND THE REFERENDUM

Received This Morning, 12.25 o'clock. LONDON, February 7. Mr Balfour, speaking at-the Constitutional Club banquet to new Unionist members of the House of Commons, repeated his pledge that Tariff Reform would not he enforced without being first submitted to the people. The referendum ought, he said, to be a permanent part of tlio Constitution, not only for the dealing with grave differences between the two Houses, but for settling certain other questions which it was expedient to withdraw from the people but were improper machinery for ordinary Budgets. The Unionists'were not Jess ptrp.Hgly favourable to preference fnr the colonies because of the Canadian-United States agreement.