Parliament's Week

(British Commonwealth of Nations)

Parliament's Week

The Cabinet. The Premier and Miss Ishbel Macdonald attended a dinner given by the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe at their home on Carlton House Terrace. King George was present.

P:A provincial rumor to the effect that the Premier had become engaged to Lady Margaret Sackville, youngest daughter of Earl De la Warr, was speedily denied.

P:Arthur Henderson, appointed Secretary of State for Home Affairs in the Macdonald Cabinet, was successful in contesting the Burnley by-election, winning by a majority of 7,037 votes over his Conservative opponent. The campaign was enlivened by Mr. Henderson, who stated that the Government desired to revise the Treaty of Versailles. This forced Premier Macdonald to issue a denial.

House of Lords. Lord Parmoor, Lord President of the Privy Council, informed their lordships that the Government was unwilling to accord diplomatic recognition to Mexico while that country remained in a state of chaos.

P:Earl Balfour, dean of Britain's "Elder Statesmen," intervened in a debate on India to offer a solemn warning to Indian agitators. He charged them with obstructing the British Government's plan to help India in preparing for full dominion home-rule, with moving people by Western catchwords, with committing a great crime against their fellow-countrymen and civilization. He refused to believe that Britain would leave 300,000,000 people of India to their fate in the hands of irresponsible agitators. He was of the opinion that the gradual extension of constitutional power in that country was the only policy that Britain could follow. Such a speech, from so temperate a man as Balfour, who rarely has mixed in Indian affairs, was said to have profoundly affected the House.

House of Commons. The second reading of a till to lower the age limit of women electors from 30 to 21 was passed in the House by 288 votes to 72. If the bill is finally passed, it will mean an addition of 4,500,000 women, making a total of 12,400,000 women against 10,500,000 men. All the women M. P.'s supported the bill except the Duchess of Atholl and Mrs. Hilton Philipson. The Duchess said that since a conference had set the age limit, a conference should revise it. She also commented adversely upon giving the vote to "young tinkers and hawkers" who had no opportunity to know anything about politics. This drew from Rhys Davies, Under Secretary of State for Home Affairs, the cutting rejoinder that tinkers were as well fitted to vote as hotel butterflies. "I have no acquaintance with hotel butterflies," parried Her Grace, smiling, "but I know some tinkers. At any rate, hotel butterflies can read and write."

P:A bill to abolish capital punishment for murder in Great Britain was introduced into the House.

P:Philip Snowden, Chancellor of the Exchequer, in a written answer to a question, gave the following figures on per capita taxation:

-L- s. d. United Kingdom 15 18 0 New Zealand 12 5 3 Australia 8 1 9 Canada 7 19 8 France 6 18 6 United States 6 14 10 Germany 4 1 11 South Africa 3 9 11 Italy 3 6 11