HOUSE OF LORDS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 23 June 1927, Page 9

HOUSE OF LORDS

REFORM PROPOSALS DEBATED OLD ORDER DEFENDED. SINGLE CHAMBER GOVERNMENT. BY CABLE—PP.ESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. Received 1.55 p.m. to-day. LONDON, June 22. In the House of Lords resuming the debate o.n the reform proposals, the Duke of Nortnuiiiberiaiid agreed that they removed the worst features of the Paii'idiameiLt Act. Defending the hereditary principle, he claimed that the Lords, were more representative of the country than the Commons. There was 1 no subject on which the Lords could not produce more expert opinion than the Commons. A strong second chamber was necessary to- check socialist folly. The next Government might not offer the same terms, so it was bettor to seize the opportunity of reform, which permitted tlie Lords still to live a ihistorkiad part .as the last line of defence against the forces of tyranny and chaos.

Lord Parmoor said that the proposals did not constitute a second chamber on the popular instead of the hereditary basis, but rendered less effective any action of’ the Commons under ia Labour or a Liberal Government and wholly oonfirmed the principle of singl© chamber Government, whenever the Conservatives heel a sufficient majority in that House. Furthermore, they Completely eliminated the influence of the Labour Party. The whole scheme was reactionary , this was not the way to. hold back revolutionary movements, therefore he would support tire Earl or Arran's, amendment. Lord Birkenhead announced that it was intended to pass the Bill during the lifetime of the present Parliament. He indulged in banter rut- the expense of Lord Parmoor’is defence l of the good old constitution, instead of the Ministry's' change, and then taunted the Liberals for opposing . what went little further than Mr. Lloyd George’s 1922 scheme.— A.P.A. land “Sun.”.