POLITICAL CRISIS IN BRITAIN.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 977, 18 November 1910, Page 5

POLITICAL CRISIS IN BRITAIN.

DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS. , "WASTE OF TIME.'* , "WE WILL DEAL WITH YOU AS YOU I ARE." ; DISSOLUTION BEFORE 28TH INST. t By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyriirht. , London, November 17. 1 There were further surprises when the Honso of Lords met. i . Lord Lansdowne announced that the . .Lords had been for-some time ready with i their solution of Hie Second Chamber Problem. This was in the direction of a - reduction in membership and tho aboli- ) tion of .the hereditary.principle. The now House should consist of the existing House of Lords, reinforced from outside. As the Conference lias failed, said Lord Lansdowne, tho Government should proceed with its Parliament Bill. 1 Lord Crewe said the Government was ■ willing. He would introduce the Bill, 1 and take the second 'reading this week: The House could then either pass or reject it. Tho Government would not ac- , cept an amendment. The Bill was then read a first time. HOUSE OF LORDS REFORM. ■"PRECIPITATELY DISSOLVING." (Ree. November 17, 9.45 p.m.) . London, November 17. , Speaking in the House of Lords, Lord i Lansdowne said- he was doubtful of tho usefulness of the discussion of the Par- . liament Bill without the possibility of i amendment, but be would consult his coli leagues on the.matter.' Ho added: . ."Wo. are all'ready to devise the means whereby differences Between the Houses could be solved in a reasonable and, if possible, an amicable manner. Mr. Asquith himself had referred to tho possibility of joint sessions, yet the Government is now precipitately dissolving Parliament, and/ presumably, throwing . the finance of the year into irremediable confusion. The claim of the House of Commons to a preponderance in finance is not unreasonable if the claim is reasonably interpreted." , Lord Crewe declared that after the failure of the Veto Conference' the country would.regard another discussion as an absoluto waste of time. The proposed agreement by arrangement between tho Lords and Commons which was being debated was no longer feasible. Hitherto all the proposals to reform tho House of Lords implied that such reconstruction would give it such authority in the eyes of the country that if ought to retain tho . whole of its present powers. Lord. Crewe added:• • "You don't know yourselves what you mean.by reform. We must deal with you as you are." Lord '. Rosebery announced that 1 e would proceed-with his resolutions to-day.< The House must itself affirm tho sincerity • of its desire for reform. , Lord Crowe, in answer to Lord Balfour, of Burleigh, said lie would reserve reply as to what tho Government would do regarding amendments of the Parliament Bill until' the -House hac] • carried 'the -second reading. '.' . ■... .THE KING AND THE PREMIER. ■ A NEWSPAPER PROTEST. London, November IG. Mr. Asquith and the Earl of Crewe interviewed King George, Who has returned to Sandringham. The "Daily News" (Liberal) says: "If the Government resigns, the only conclusion can be that the King intervened by refusing contingent guarantees. -But it is. inconceivable that the Crown would ally itself with' the Lords and prevent the judgment of:'the people,' solemnly given at the election in January, last, being carried into law." Tho paper adds:—"We have Mr. Asquith's solemn pledge that thpre will be no dissolution unless he has contingent guarantees in his possession." The "Daily Telegraph" (Unionist) protests against the Throne being dragged into the controversy. VIEWS OF "TTIE TIMES." "MR'.- ASQUITH'S. DECLARATION. (Reo. November 17,- 9.45 p.m.) i London, November 17. "The Times" declares that Mr. .Asquith's declaration of April 14 is capablo of an interpretation not connected with guarantees. The Government would have been in a stronger position if they had resigned after a victorious election, because, the creation of peers had been withheld. Tho Unionists must strain, every nerve to make ■ it clear that, tho composition of the House of Lords is a secondary matter, and that they aro fighting for an efficient Second Chamber. Mr. Asquith's declaration on April 14 referred' to by "The Times" is as follows :— . • . "If the Lords fail to accept our policy or decline to consider it, wo shall feel it to be our 'duty immediately to tender advico to tho Crown as to tho step's which will have to be taken if that policy is to receive statutory effect in this Parliament. What the preciso terms of that advico will be it would, of course, not be right ■ for me to say now, but if we do not find ourselves in a position, to ensure that statutory effect shall be given to that policy in this Parliament we shall either resign our office or recommend the dissolution of Parliament, ■ and in no case would wo recommend a ' dissolution except under such conditions as will secure that in 1 tho new Parliament tho judgment of tho people as expressed at the election will be carried into law." This statement was received on the Government side with ecstatic transports of approval.