THE CRISIS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 274, 18 November 1910, Page 5

THE CRISIS.

LORDS AND THE VETO BILL

LANSDOWNE ON REFORM.

ASQUITH PBOM-SES A STATEMENT.

(By Cable.—Press Asaodtitioß.—Copyrlght)

(Received 10.5 ajn.)

LONDON, November 17. Mr. Asquith promises an important pronouncement at the National Liberal Club on Saturday. It is announced that Earl Crewe will move the second reading of the Veto Bill on Monday. In the House of Lords, after Earl Crewe had announced that the Government would accept no amendment to the Veto Bill, the Marquis of Lansdowne said he was doubtful of the usefulness of a discussion of the bill without the possibility of its amendment, but he would consult his colleagues. He added: "We are all ready to devise means whereby the difference between the Houses can be solved in a reasonable and, if possible, amicable manner." Proceeding, Lord Lansdowne remarked that Mr. Asquith himself had referred to the possibility of joint sessions, yet the Government was precipitately dissolving Parliament, and presumably throwing the finances into irremediable confusion. The claim of the House of Commons of preponderance in finance was not unreasonable if the claim was reasonably interpreted. The Earl of Crewe declared that after the failure of the Veto Conference the country would regard another discussion on the limitation of the veto as absolute waste of time. Hitherto all the proposals made to reform that Chamber implied that its reconstruction would give the Lords such authority in the eyes of the country that they ought to retain the whole of their present powers. He added: "You don't know yourselves what you mean by reform. We must deal with you as you are." Lord Rosebery announced that he would proceed to-morrow with the resolution embodying his scheme of reform. The House must itself affirm the sincerity of its desire for reform. The Earl of Crewe, answering Lord Balfour of Burleigh, said he reserved his reply as to what the Government would do regarding amendment if the House of i Lords read the Parliament Bill a second I time. I The bill was then read a first time. The "Daily Chronicle" characterises the action of the Lords as deathbed repentance. The Marquis of Lansdowne's speech was smooth and plausible, but be- , longed to a world of make-believe. It is understood that the Government still intend to persist in a dissolution before the 28th inst. Sir A- F. Ackland Hood (Chief Unionist Whip) stated last evening that if a dissolution is forced it will be because the Government is unable to get its Budget, except with Mr. Redmond's leave. Mr. Asquith opens his campaign on Saturday with an address at the National Liberal " Club, and Mr. Lloyd George speaks at Limehouse on Monday. The "Times," referring to Mr. Asquith's declaration regarding guarantees, says that the Government would have been in a stronger position if it had resigned after a victorious election, because the creation of peers was withheld. The Unionists must strain every nerve to make it clear that the composition of the Lords .is a secondary matter. The House of Lords is now discussing Lord Rosebery's reform proposals. SCOTTISH HOME BUTE. ESSENTIA- ELEMENT OF REFORM. (Received 9.20 a_n.) LONDON, November 17. The Scottish National Committee of the House of Commons resolved that Home Rule for Scotland was an essential element of constitutional reform. The final settlement must Include national self-government. UNIONIST PROGRAMME. (Received 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, November 17. The National Union of Conservatives of Nottingham approved of Lord Lansdowne's proposals for reform, including the exclusion of the hereditary element. The resolutions approved fiscal reform, including colonial preference, small ownership of land, unalterable opposition to Home Rule, modification of licensing duties and condemned the abandonment of the two-Power standard for the navy. KEXR BAB-HE'S TRINITY. CROWN HAD BETTER BEWARE. LONDON, November 17. Mr. Keir Hardie, M.P., speaking at Bermondsey, said he hoped it was not true that the King was interfering with regard to dissolution. When the coronets were in the melting pot the Crown had better beware. People were blind to their own interest while they bowed to the threefold demon of Imperialism, Militarism, and Royalism. REVOLT AND DEFT THE LAW. LABOUR AND POLITICS. (Received 9 a,m.) SYDNEY, this day. | Mr. J. Hodge (Labour MP. for Gorton, Lancashire), who is now visiting Sydney, says in England they realise that Unionism without political action is played out, and the only remedy for the Taff Vale and Osborne judgments was to revolt and defy the law. WITHOUT IDEALS. BRITISH LABOUR MOVEMENT. BERLIN, November 17. The "Vorwaerts," the leading Socialist paper, attacks Mr. J. D. Shackleto-, who has become Labour Adviser to the Home Office, for joining the Liberal bureaucracy, and other Labourites for accepting posts in the Labour Exchanges. The "Vorwaerts" adds that the British Labour movement is without ideals, and expresses the hope that the deserters are making room for younger and Social-istically-minded elements.