REFORM.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 1135, 16 March 1910, Page 2

REFORM.

IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS

LORD ROSEBERY PLAYS TO A FULL GALLERY.

THE LESSONS OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.

MORE KUDOS FOR GEORGE REID.

DISASTER, DEATH, DAMNATION."

CV ELECTRIO ISLEGBAPH COPYRIGHT. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] London, Ma roll 15. The floor and galleries of the Lords were thronged for the debate on the Rosebery proposals for reforming the House of Lords from, within. The prince and Princess of Wales were present. Lord Rosebery, in movmg that the House of Lords go into committee on his resolution, contended that it was hopeless to imagine that the Government would veto the resolutions. If they were passed in 1910, and followed by reform in 1911, the Liberals would say to Mr Asquith, " We recognise your good intentions, but do not mean to have anything to do with •that. You deprived the House of Lords of its privilege and power in a single session of Parliament. What more do we want?" Mr Asquith's proposal resembled hamstringing a valuable horse, and then entering it for the Derby. He concluded a ■closely reasoned and earnest speech against the Government's proposal for complete domination by the Commons by setting up a sham and impotent second Chamber by mentioning to the Lords the lessons of the French Revolution and the danger of withholding concessions until too late. lie was convinced the House would rise to the height of a great occasion, and earn the gratitude of the unborn generations. Lord Morley urged the House to wait and hear tlie Government's proposals. He said Lord Rosebery had failed to touch the emergency confronting them. What was needed was an effective means of settling the differences between the two Houses. Lord Northcote approved of the resolutions, but said the details required careful examination. The debate was adjourned. (Received March 16, 8.4 a.m.) London, March 15. During his speech, Lord Rosebery referred to Sir George R-eid, the High Commissioner for Australia, as a man of infinite ability, popularity, and geniality, and added: r< No better choice for the position could p'ossibTy'havc been made." Lord llosehery asked: "How could Sir George Reid possibly justify to the Australians the abolition of the second Chamber in Great Britain when Australia took care to secure a strong and efficient Senate upon the institution of federation in 1900 ? The colonies had always taken care to secure a strong second Chamber." There is much comment in the newspapers on Lord Rosebery's statement fliat he deprecated the election of peers by popular vote. His Lordship said: "This would only give a feeble understudy of the House of Commons and multiply tlie (horrors of <a general election, but the Jfouse of Lords would derive dignity by association with corporations and county councils formed into elective bodies upon the French basis of representation, provided that in this wav they should form no inconsiderable proportion of the Upper House." (Received March 16, 8.50 a.m.) T.-- I r.i, March 15. Sir Edward Grey, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, in a speech at a Liberal banquet iv the city, said: "If reform of the House of Lords is left to the other side, the Liberals are courting disaster, death, and damnation. The solution would be an elective Chamber, elected not necessarily simultaneously with -Hie House of Commons on the same area. The Government would reimnose the Budset taxes. By that they stood or fell."