BRITISH POLITICS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10160, 9 February 1911, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS

CABLE NEWS

United Press Association — By Electric Telegraph — Copyright.

THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS. (Received February 8, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, February 7. In the House of Lords, during the debate on the Address-in-Reply, Lord Lansdowne stated that the Declaration of Loudon had created grave apprehension in the commercial mind. While commercial men welcomed international instead of national prize courts, they would like to have a voice in framing the constitution of such a body. The Canadian Reciprocal Agreement, said Lord Lansdowne, meant diminution of preference opportunities.

Lord Crewe (Leader of the House) said the Declaration would be discussed- at the Imperial Conference, and Parliament would have an opportunity to discuss it before its ratification. Ho had unbounded faith in the loyalty of Canada, which would do nothing to weaken the ties. He added that the payment of members and Osborne judgmen* questions would be considez*ed this session.

IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. MR BIRRELL ARRAIGNED. A VITUPERATIVE DEBATE. ' (Received Last Night, 10.50 o'clock.) LONDON, February 8. The debate on the Address-in-Reply was continued ,to-day in the House of Commons. The Right Hon. J. H. M. Campbell, Unionist member for Dxiblin University, arraigned 'the Hon. Mr ' Birrell for his inaction over the Papal decrees. He said that Mr Birrell had even refused to intervene in the case of Mrs McCann, whose children were taken, away because she refused to be re-married in the Catholic Church, when the priest alleged that her offspring were illegitimate. The Hon. Mr Birrell said the McCann case was distressing. The wife's redress was through the civil court. Presbyterian Ministers were less interested in the woman than in using the , case as an example of what would happen when Ireland secured Home Rule. A vituperative debate followed between the Jrish Unionists and Nationalists, the latter stating that Mrs McCann.'s bad temper was the cause of ■ her husband hiding her children.