LORDS AND REFORM.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 66, 18 March 1910, Page 5

LORDS AND REFORM.

THE GOVERNMENT SCHEME. ELECTED HOUSE OF 150 MEMBERS. DEBATE IN THE LORDS. [By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON," March 17. Discussion was continued in the House jf Lords last evening on Lord Rosebery's resolution. Lord Curzon emphasised the feeling oi respect with which the House of Lords .vas viewed in the colonies, as a benign House where cases from the colonies were stated with experience, regarded sympathetically, and judged with authority. How much more was this the case in an ancient and aristocratic country like India, throughout which the Lords ivere regarded with enormous veneration md respect. Only one-fourth of th« House, however, sat as a result of theii >wn honourable exertions. He had nc sympathy with a popularly-elected second :hamber, but favoured rooting the House leeper in democracy. Lord Burghclere, also supporting the resolution, advocated the limiting of the /eto. Lord Cromer declared that the House it Lords should retain its powers intact. The Earl of Halsbury severely criti :ised Lord Rosebery's resolution, but was ivilling to go into committee to discuss it. The Earl of Crewe and the Marquis Df Lansdowne are to continue the debate to-day. It is understood that the Lords will take the resolution in committee nexl week, and adopt the first tnvo clauses md consider the third after Easter. The Parliamentary correspondent oi the "Times" says that the Ministry favour a second chamber of 150, the method of electing the senators being still under discussion. The present in tention is that half the Senate shall be sleeted foi eight years and half for four. REFORM AND LIMITATION. LIBERAL COMPLAINTS. (Received 8.35 aan.) LONDON, March 17. Dissatisfaction at Sir Edward Grey's speech upon the reform of the Lords is increasing. Liberals complain that it has lispelled hopes of adjusting difficulties with the Nationalists. His declaration that the Government intends to proceed with the House ol Lords' reform is extremely distasteful to Labourites. The "Standard" states that Sir Ed .yard Grey, Mr. R. B. Haldane, Viscount Wolverhampton (Ixjrd President of the Council), Mr. Reginald McKenna and the 'Carl of Crewe insist on combining reform ivith limitation of the veto. The "British Weekly" complains that the Government intends to spring upon i.he nation a scheme of reforming the Lords and the introduction of the Budjet with the certainty of defeat, and is ipparently determined not to approach ;he King. It adds that the Nonconformists' enthusiasm for the Government i≤ nearly worn out. LIBERALS AND LABOUR. COMPACT AT GLAMORGAN. LONDON, March 17. Mr. Gibbins, one of the candidates at Mid-Glamorgan for the election of a suelessor to Sir S. T. Evans, who has been made a judge, bitterly protested against the Master of Elibank advising them not .o oppose the Labour party. '' The Master of Elibank has replied ihat the South Wales Miners' Federation repeatedly resolved to abstain while Sir Alfred Thomas (who represents GlaMorgan East) and Sir S. T. Evans adhered to the general political programme 3f the Federation, but whenever a vacancy occurred they intimated, they ivould contest the scat against allcomers. A ROTTEN POLICY. KIR. REDMOND. GROWS WARM (Received 8.40 a.m.) LONDON, March 17. Mr. John Redmond, speaking at Newcastle, complained of the rotten policj of the Government. He declared that Sir Edward Grey's speech on Monday showed that the Go vernment proposed to relax its grip upon ;he Budget before. the veto was settled. MR. REDMOND'S PROPHECY. LONDON, March 17. Mr. Redmond (Leader of the Irisl party), speaking at Newcastle, said he tva3 perfectly sure there would be a jeneral election in a few weeks' time. CURZON'S SCHEME. MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATION ?- ■ ■ ____. (Received 8.55 a.m.)' LONDON, March 17. The newspapers interpret Lord Cutson's proposals as firstly the nomination 3f an undisclosed number of peers by the Government of the day; secondly, the jlection of English peers on the same principle as Irish and Scottish; and thirdly, that the county councils and great corporations should be formed* int< electoral colleges to select eighty-foui representatives for the Upper House.