LIBERALS AND LORDS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 416, 27 January 1909, Page 7

LIBERALS AND LORDS

A PEACE POLICY. | GOVERNMENT'S SOCIAL MEASURES. ; POOR LAW. " (BY TELEOBArH—rRESS ASSOCIATION—COrIRIOHT.) . (Rec. January 26, 11.45 p.m.) London, January 26. Articles—apparently, '. inspired—appearing in Liberal newspapers indicate that the Government has resolved to eschew: any Budget or other measures likely to precipitate a con--1 fliot-with the House of Lords. V The Government, : it is, stated,. is,'deter-' mined to concentrate attention on construct tiyo* social legislation during the .post two years, < especially-Bills dealing with • the poor law and unemployment.' . ' FINANCIAL POWERS OF THE LORDS. Th? revision,_ of the poor law, on which a Koyal Commission is about to report, will probably mean fighting the old age pensions battle ,over.again, on abigger soale. The present Act is generally admitted to be only aninstalment, and a - partially contributory soheme may follow. Unemployment legislation of a Toot nature, as apart .from temporary grants and : palliatives, has been promised- by the •Government. • .. ' To-da/s cablegram discounts the impression caused by the Prime Minister's speech last month, that the Liberals' would compel the Lords to exercise a financial veto, ana would then appeal to the country. • It has been widely predicted that the Government will raise money by the following methods:— ■ 1. Taxation of land values. , -.- 2. High license duties. . V 8. Super-tax on large incomes.': 1 ,v ; ' 4: Additional death duties/y.: . B£ constitutional, praotico tho House of Lords neve? amend financial- Bills;-. Thei- power to veto- such; Bills has even beon questioned, and in recent years has neveT been exercised.. ' The last ocoasion ujon which the House of Lords rejected ;a finanoial. Bill was in, ISOO, ■ when, it threw .out the repeal-of the paper, duties by a majority of eighty-nine.' - The powers of: tho [ Upper House as understood under the Constitution, have : been thus defined by Sir Courtonay. Xlbert, Clerk- of the.House of Commons:— ' - : / . 1- The; Lords' ought 'not to'-' initiate proposal, embodied iii a' publio Bill, and imposing a charge 'on ; ' ■ the people, whether by way of rates, .. taxes, or' otherwise, .or,' regulating tho administration or application of money " V raised by .such, a charge. • 2. The Lords ought not to amend any , such' legislative. proposal. -. . '■' 3. The Lords may rejeot the whole of ; a Bill embodying any such legislative ' . proposal, or may rejeot;the whole of a set; of provisions embodying - any 6uch legislative proposal,; and forming part. .:' - • tkey are otherwise en-..' . : ; - titled to amend,.when the- set.of provi- ■ ; Bions. so rejected-'form, a -distinct 'and separate object. .... repeal of . the paper ducieß was embodied not: in. a separate BUI, .'bpr.'in the ouuget, and was sent up to the House of Lords, .which thereupon passed, tho Budget en bloc. - .Tho rejection of tho Budget would mean that the business of the, country would be brought to a .standstill,. as there - would, be no authority to. levy, taxes and no source from:- which : to mate payments., . ... V. - a