THE PEERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 66, 19 March 1910, Page 5

THE PEERS.

♦ LORD LANSDOWNE'S POLICY. VETO POWER NOT TO BE WEAKENED. REDUCTION IN NUMBERS. By Telegraph.— Prei» A«&oclatlon.— Copyright. (Received ' March 19, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, 18th March. Tho Standard summarise* Lord Lansdowne'a Second Chamber policy as under : — The veto power* not to be weakened. Tho number of peers to be reduced, but the whole of tho peerage to select representatives of their own body. Other peers to sit without election, by virtue of public services. The Government of the day to also select a number of peers with a tenure long enough to^ bo uninfluenced by general elections. The principle of life peerages to be extended co as to cover representation of all tho Fchools of political thought and great interest! of the country. LORD ROSEBERY'S RESOLUTIONS. STANDPOINT OF DIVERGENCE. DISCUSSED BY LORD COURTNEY. A FACT EMPHASIoED BY LORD LANSDOWNE. LONDON, 18th March. Continuing the debate in the House of Lords on Lord Rosebery's reform resolutions, Lord Courtney of Penwith discussed the question from the standpoint of divergence between the two Houses, and incidentally criticised the House of Commons as not being a truo council of tho Nation, owing to the absence of representation of some great elements, just as great elements were also absent from the House of Lords. He concluded by detailing his scheme of representation in tho House of Lords of Capital, Labour, and Nationalists. Lord Lansdowne (Leader of tho Opposition in the House of Lords) emphasised tho fact that nobody objected to going into committee on the resolutions, inasmuch as such an attitude would be equivalent to declaring tho House of Lords to be perfect. He dwelt on the seriousness of the proposal to ask a large number of peers to surrender their duties and privileges. He hoped Lord Rosebery would submit an ultimate scheme which would maintain continuity, and keep on the right side of the line between reform and revolution. The House of Lords was a going concern, with considerable goodwill which ought not to be sacrificed. If now blood were introduced, the old traditions should bo retained. He would greatly regret any alteration in the name of the House of Lords — a name whereof they had no reason to be ashamed. He trusted that any reform would be on an equitable and reasonable basis, not excluding the hereditary principle The country's recent verdict was no wholesale condemnation of tho Lords. The principle of reform should bo a simple ono. He remarked that one picturesque and attractive, but unpractical, suggestion favoured including .epresentatives of the oversea Dominions. Surely an Imperial Parliament was one thing, and a Second Chamber another. He would ask those familiar with tho opinion of the great colonies whether the latter greatly desired to bo associated with the Motherland in the everyday work of legislation. He did not think the Dominions would part with their best men for the purpose of attending, nor would they be grateful for the amount oi representation granted, which would necessarily be small. Lord Lansdowne concluded by reviewing the various practical methods of reform.