THE LORDS' VETO.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 791, 14 April 1910, Page 5

THE LORDS' VETO.

DEBATE ON SECOND RESOLUTION. Br Telegraph—Fresa Association—Copyright London, April 12. In Committee of the House of Commons, the debate was continued on the Government's second resolution (published yesterday) dealing with tho House of Lords' veto. Mr. Walter Long, who replied on behalf of ■ tho Unionists to Mr. Asquith, dwelt on coses such as Home Eule, in which, had Mr. Asquith's scheme prevailed, the Bill would have been carried against the will and opinion of the people. The resolution was, ho argued, inopportune and inadequate without reform, and, as it stood, destructive by depriving the Lords of all useful power. Sir J. Barran (Liberal member for Hawick Burghs) supported the resolution, conditional on it being a preliminary to tho eariy drastio reconstruction of. the House of Lords. Mr. Herbert Samuel' (Postmaster-Gen-eral) contended that until the Lords' powers were abridged the Government would bo unable to undertake reconstruction. '■', (Rec. April 13, 11:25 p.m.) London, April 13. The veto debate was continued. Mr. A. B. Markham (Liberal member for Mansfield) implored the Government to proceed with the reform of tho House of Lords on a democratic basis at the earliest moment. The government, he said, ought to do its utmost to secure a guarantee.

.Mr. Balfour, Leader of the Opposition, inquired as to the meaning of Mr. Asquith's promise of machinery for improving tho method of conferences between the two Houses in the event of difference? arising, and asked why - the suggested improved methods .were not embodied in the Prime Minister's resolutions, inasmuch as the new proposals were less hopelessly irrational than the. other parts of the resolutions. Mr. Balfour contended that by proposals under which the House of Lords' powers would no longer be misty and vague, but clearly defined by law, the Government: would bo encouraging the Lords to exercise them to the utmost. They might, according to the, resolution, delay a Bill in tho 'first two years, of; Parliament. Then in the following years, the House of Lords would be able to cauao delay by compelling the submission of any measure to a new House of Commons. So-called deadlocks and friction would thus be multiplied. Moreover — and this was his chief resolution would destroy tho primary function of a Second Chamber of referring large and momentous changes for the people's decision. Thus, under the resolution the House of Lords would be'empowered to interfere.far moro with ordinary legislation, but would be impotent to-save the country from sudden revolutionary changes decided on by a temporary majority.

In reply to Mr. Balfour, Mr. Winston Churchill, Homo • Secretary, said . that the House ;of Lords had not heretofore proved , a safeguard against great constitutional changes emanating from tho Conservatives. He instanced the exten-sion-of household suffrage in 1867. 'He assured Mr., Balfour that the plan of conferences would be embodied in ■ the Veto Bill- or: the policy following the Bill. Considering the immense bargaining and other powers which the House of Lords would retain, it was nonsensical •to accuse the Fovernment of estabSingle Chamber system. Tho Liberals unitedly desired the supremacy of .-the,-House: of Commons in the State and its predominance, in legislation. Their idea of a reformed Second Chamber was one, on democratic foundations and subordinato'tp the Commons.

Mr. James Hope (Unionist member for Sheffield) : moved :'Mr. ]?. ; Smith's amendment to exclude from the operation of the resolution Bills to further deal with the Lords' constitution and powers: '

Mr. Austen Chamberlain (formerly Unionist Chancellor of the Exchoquer) taunted • the Government with an undemocratic desire to prevent appeals to the people. . (Cheers and counter-cheers.) : The. failure of Mr, D. Dalziel (Unionist member for Brixton) to elicit a reply from the Government whether the veto resolutions would be abandoned when'a reformed Second Chamber was estab-. liahed,' drew the impassioned comment from Lord Hugh Cecil. (Unionist M.P. for Oxford University)' that the Government's reform policy was a sham and a fraud. ' : ' The amendment was negatived by 302 votes to 193. , Mr. Churchill enumerated the measures the Government; would endeavour to. pass if the Lords'; veto'was removed/including 'a national settlement.with Ireland,, disestablishment of the Church in Wales, removal of Nonconformists' grievances, and reform of the electoral system, which denied' the franchise to so many. Mo added: "The Unionists plunged us into, war in South Africaon tho cry of equal rights, for. whites. ' (Cheers.) That is what we are seeking in the Motherland, in-order to certain that a Liboral vote will count equally with a Conservative vote.. If the resolutions are passed, everything will advance smoothly. The danger is not if they are passed, but if they are rejected." , THE PRESENT TEAR'S BUDGET. ... Londcn, April 12. In the House of Commons, replying to a. question by Mr. A. Fell," Unionist inombei' for Great Yarmouth, the Chancellor' of tho Exchequer (Mr: LloydGeorge) stated that the Budget for 1910-11 would bo introduced after the spring holidays.. ■ CRec. April 13, 9.45 p.m.) London, April 13. .In the House of Lords, Lord Crewe, Secretary for'', tho Colonics, replying to questions, said he thought the Opposition wcro agreed that the Budget should be passed before the spring recess. UNIONIST ORGANISATION. London, April 12. Mr. F. E. Smith, K.C., Unionist member for the Walton Division of Liverpool, and President pf tho Federation of the Lancashire and Cheshire Junior Unionist Associations, is' taking part in a movement to federate all the Junior Unionist Associations, with tho object of countering tho activity of the Young Liberals' organisations. Mr. Balfour, Leader of tho Opposition, has appointed a committee, with Sir Gilbert Parker (a Unionist authority on rural co-operation) as chairman, to draft a scheme relating to the system of loans for the purchase of small holdings. MR. LLOYD-GEORGE AND MR. O'BRIEN. London, April 12. The denial of Mr. John Redmond (Leader of the Irish Nationalists) with regard to alleged Liberal concessions rotates especially to an alleged offer to restore tho land purchase on tho same terms as provided by tho Act of 1903. LORD ROSEBERY AND HIS SON.. London, April 12. Lord Rosebery, from the Peers' gallery, heard the maiden speech of his Bou, the Hon. Neil Primrose, Liberal member for Wisbech, which Mr. Gwyntf (Nationalist) described as an exhibition of tho value of heredity. Mr. Primrose favoured serious reform of the Lords,