COMING ELECTIONS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 89, 16 April 1910, Page 5

COMING ELECTIONS.

BRITISH POLITICAL SITUATION. HOUSE OF LORDS. THE GOVERNMENTS VETO BILL. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. (Received April 16, 10 a.m.) LONDON, 15th April. It is understood that Mr. Asquithdoes not intend to carry the Veto Bill through the House of Commons. It is possible a similar Bill will be introduced in the House of Lords, which will give a decision on the second reading. This will defer the election till early in July. Tho alternative is the introducing of the resolutions in the House of Lords. IRISH PAPER'S COMMENT. "MR. REDMONDS WEAKNESS j MR. DILLONS FOLLY." THE COST TO IRELAND. (Received April 16, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, 15th April. A Cork newspaper (! the Examiner) says that Ireland will soon be in a position to judgS how dearly Mr. Redmond's weakness and Mr. Dillon's folly have cost her. Mr. Asquith's statement shows, it adds, that the Budget will be passed without the concessions promised to Messrs. O'Brien and Healy. VETO RESOLUTIONS CARRIED. LIBERALS CHEER THEMSELVES HOARSE. THE IRISH VOTE. A SCENE NARROWLY AVERTED. LONDON, 15th April. In the House of Commons (in committee) the debate on Mr. Asquith's Lords* veto resolutions was continued. The deferred amendment moved by Mr. J. A. Hope (Unionist member for Central Division of Sheffield) to exclude -from the second resolution Bills affecting the Derogative, rights, and powers of iho Crown — was negatived by 323 votes to 217. Tho aext phase of tbo debate led to much excitement. HOME RULE. Mr. J. Chambers (Unionist member for Belfast South) moved an amendment to exclude from the scope of the resolution Bills creating subordinate Parliaments in the United Kingdom. This was negatived by 351 votes to 245. Mr. \Vinston Churchill, Home Secre* retary. said it vw lucky that Britain had been able to give a Constitution to South Africa by letters patent- under the Crown. Thus the Howe of Lords was unable to prevent or to mutilate a Constitution which alone had secured unity and the prosperous continuance of South Africa within the Empire. As compared with 'the great step of granting this Constitution to South Africa — a step dependent on the House of Commons alone — the granting of a Parliament to Ireland, subject to the Imperial Parliament's supremacy, would be less important and less grave. The Government believed that the granting of turh a Parliament to Ireland would be not only attended with circumstances less radical than in the case of the £outh African Constitution, but would enormously strengthen ihe unity and prosperity of the- Empire. Bir Edward Canon, Unionist member for Dublin University, argued that if the Unionist Party was as corrupt as Mr. Churchill imagined, it would be able, by the mere promise of Home Rule to* Ireland, to. defeat the Government's veto resolutions and Budget. Sir Edward Canon's argument arose from Mr. Churchill's opening remark that if the Unionists, for party purpuses, decided to give self-government to Ireland, the Hou*o of Lords would be pliable and would not ihrn oppose that proposal. After the second resolution had been carried, the third was adopted by 333 votes to 236. AN EXCITING SCENE. The report stage wati then passed, and Mr. Asnuith introduced the Bill based on the three resolutions. The Liberals rose, waving hats and handkerchief*, and cheered themselves hoarse.^ Meanwhile, prior co one ox these divisions, Mr. Asquith had been ruled out of order on Mr. Balfour's intervention. There had been a use of the guillotine ] rules, and the- time allotted did not permit of the introduction of controversial statements regarding what the Government intended to do under certain hypothetical circumstances. Mr. Asquith's opportunity <to make hi* statement now presented itself on the introduction of th* Veto Bill. STATEMENT BY MR. ASQUITH. Speaking to a packed House, every member tense and eagerly expectant, the Pnme Minister made his deferred | statement as follows : "If the House of Lords does not accept, the Government's policy, our duty is to advise the Crown as to the- steps needed to give that policy statutory effect during this Parliament ; and in tbe event of our inability to secure such effect, our duty hi to resign or dissolve. In no case would we recommend dissolution except under conditions securing thst the judgment of the people as expressed at the election shall be carried into law during the next Parliament." Mr. A-oquith's statement was received *r:th prolonged Ministerial cheers. Mr. Balfour in turn was given a great reception on rising to speak. MR. BALFOUR SPEAKS. Tbe Leader of the Opposition described tbe Prime Minister s statement as of first importance. It marked the culmination of negotiations ensuring tbe acceptance of tbe Budget by tbe Irish Nationalists in tbe bopje of obtaining Horn* Rule, and in giving tbe Government a Bill on which tbe Government's reputation was slaked. Tbe Government were paying an extravagant price. Mr. Balfoar proceeded •— "In what position has the Prime Minister put tbe Crown? I can conceive an extreme rasa in which a Prime Minister might ask for 'guarantees' — in othir words, for the creation of the Peers— but the idea of anticipating bis advice by months, and announcing that, in ■nknown. undeternJned cfrcsunstances, be would suggest nothing ■host of tbe destruction of tbe coostitotion, is beyond the idea of doty of any of tht present Prime Minister's predecessors. (Cheers.) He has successfully bought the Irish veto for the Budget. The pries paid is the price of tbe dignity of his oAca." | There waa renewed cheering as Mr. Balfour concluded, and immediately afterwards tht Speaker declared the House adjourned Ministerial cbmriog wm rssjtwtd.

"CHEER JOHN REDMOND, YOUR MASTER." Mr. A. S- Wilson (Unionist member for Holderness. Yorkshire) ".hunted :—: — "Cheer John Redmond, yonr master. He has won." There were angry protests and cries of "Order." Mr. John Redmond then stepped excitedly towards Mr. Wilson, but several members intercepted and restrained him. "DUINKING THE CUP OF HUMILIATION." The Times describes Mr. Asquith as having, at Mr. Redmond's bidding drunk the cup of humiliation to the dregs. "It is moustioua," tho paper adds, "that the Prime Minister should put pressure on tho King to give him power to coerce the Second Chamber by a threat of tho wholesale creation of Peers. The Crown is being deliberately dragged in the mire of party conflict. I The King is to be subjected to embarrassment and indignity such as no Sovereign has endured since the revolution of 1688" (the overthrow of James II). [The veto resolutions are as follow :—: — (1) It is expedient that the House of Lords should bo disabled by lnw from rejecting or amending Money Bills. There are denned as follow : — Bills which the Speaker considers to contain only provisions dealing with the imposition, repeal, remission, alteration, or regulation of taxation ; also charges on thn Consolidated Fund, or the provision of money by Parliament ; also tho supply and appropriation, control, or regulation of public money ; also the raising, guaranteeing, or repayment of loans, or matters incidental to these subjects. (J?) It is expedient that tho powers of the House of Lords respecting Bills other than Money Bills be legally restricted so that when a Rill has passed the House of Commons three successive ' sessions, and has been sent to tho House of Lords at least a month before the end of the session, and rejected in each of the three sessions, it shall become law without the consent of the House of Lords upon the Royal Assent being given, provided that at least two years shall elapse between the first introduction to the House of Commons and the date when it passed the House of Commons for the third time. Bills shall I be treated as rejected if not passed by the House of Lords without amendments, or with only amendments agreed to by I both Houses. (3) The third resolution limits the duration of Parliament to five years.] VOTE-ON-ACCOUNT. HOUSE WILL ADJOURN ON 28th. THREE We"eKS* RECESS. ! LONDON, 15th April. I In the House of Commons the Prime ' Minister, Mr. Asquith. stated that a vote-on-account for six weeks would be taken next week. The House would then adjourn on 28th April (or three weeks, though possibly an informal sitting would be held or< 29th April to receive the Royal assent to the Budget. (Cheers.) ! PRESS VIEWS. PALL MALL GAZETTE HITS HARD. WHAT PROVINCIAL JOURNALS THINK. LONDON, 15th April. The Pall Mall Gaxette (Unionist) says that Mr. Redmond has proved that a party with a criminal history, a party that is living on subsidies from its English enemies, that is frankly disloyal ni spirit, can compel the English Government to serve it on ita knees. The Leeds Mercury (Independent) says that all democrats will read Mr. Asnuith's words with exulting joy. The Sheffield Independent (Liberal) I remarks : — "We suffered the pangs of deferred hope because Mr. Asquith delayed, but all's well that ends well." *The Yorkshire Observer, the Liverpool Post, and the Manchester Guardian (all Liberal) express themselves similarly delighted.