LIMITING LORDS’ POWERS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25365, 12 December 1947, Page 7

LIMITING LORDS’ POWERS

AMENDMENT TO BILL DEFEATED (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDOk, December 10. An Oppositio'n amendment in tne House of Commons to reject the Parliament Bill (curtailing the veto powers of the House of Lords) was defeated by 340 votes to 186 Mr Herbert Morrison, Lord President of the Council, replying to the debate, said that the case for the bill rested on the belief that the Government had the right, by suitable legislation, to make provision enabling it to carry out the policy upon which it was elected. Mr Morrison added: “I say quite freely that I have got considerable respect for their lordships’ chamber as a revising element for our Parliamentary institution.” The bill reduces the term over which the Lords can hold up legislation from two years to one year.

MIGRATION FROM U.S. TO NEW ZEALAND

MANY INQUIRIES MADE AT CONSULATES NEW YORK, December 10. Australia’s drive for immigrants ■from the United States was resulting in more inquiries by Americans abput settling in New Zealand, said the Acting New Zealand Consul in New York (Mr J. R. Osbaldiston) to-day. Ever since the Australian immigration plan was announced, there had been a steady stream of Americans making inquiries at New Zealand consulate's. "Some are Americans who married New Zealand girls, and now want to return'to New Zealand with their wives, some are single men who visited New Zealand during the war and were so impressed that they want to live there, and others ask whether the Australian plan of subsidising immigrants’ fares also applies to New Zealand,” said Mr Osbaldiston. “A few just happened to see New Zealand on the map and decided on the spot that they would like to live there.” Most of the inquirers still ’wanted to go even when warned of the acute housing shortage, he said. There were so few ships plying between America and Australia and New Zealand that there was no immediate possibility of Americans going to New Zealand, either as tourists or settlers.