IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT SUPREME.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 88, 13 April 1912, Page 5

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT SUPREME.

THE POWEE OF VETO. . LAND PURCHASE ACT. The first clause of the Bill, added Mr. Asquith, stipulated the unchaUengwl supremacy of the Imperial Parliament over the Irish Parliament, consisting of two Houses, which, according to the Bill, were only empowered to make laws exclusively relating to Ireland. The Bill excluded from the control of the Irish Parliament all matters relating to the Crown, peace and war, control of the Navy and Army, treaties, dignities, treason, and a number of other matters. Among the important matters reserved to the Imperial Parliament was the administration of the Land Purchase Act, because the security of the system was resting on the Imperial credit, and must in nowise be affected. There would be au automatic transfer of the constabulary Ln a. sexennium and a transfer of the Poet Office and Savings Bank after a decade if the Irish Parliament, so wished, and similarly with old-age pensions and insurance. Tho Irieh Parliament would not be allowed to repeal or alter any provisions of the Home Rule Act nor to interfere with the right of appeal to the Privy Council concerning the validity of laws passed by toe Irish Parliament. The latter woula not be able to endow any religion. There would be no reltgioufi tests nor any interference with the validity of mixed marriages. IRISH HOUSE OF COMMONS AND SENATE. After mentioning other religious safeguards, Mr. Asquith explained that the Bills passed in Ireland would be sub ject to the veto of the Lord -Lieutenant. Regarding the Senate, it was desirable to have in it representatives of the minority, who possibly would not be represented if- thft Senate were elected. The Imperial Ex«cutive -ivould nominate for eight ytaxp the Sggftoi*, jvjxo should

retire by rotation., and their places would be filled by the Irish Executive. (Unionist laughter.) Regarding the Irish House of Commons, each constituency would contain 27,000 voters. This would give Ulster fifty-nine members, Leinster forty-nine, Munster forty-seven, Connaught twenty-five, and the Universities two. In the event of disagreement between the two Houses they would sit together. The Executive would be the same as was provided for in the 1893 Bill.