HOUSE OF LORDS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 26 April 1918, Page 5

HOUSE OF LORDS.

QUESTION OF REFORM

CONFERENCE'S REPORT PRESENTED.

r- IB' S - -PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPTRIGHT. (Received April 26, 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, April 25. Lord Bryce has presented tbe report of the conference on reform of the House of Lords.

In a covering letter, Lord Bryce states that the conference surveyed the wh<_(.e constitutional position with a view to creating an efficient Second Chamber, either by modifying the present House of Lords or constituting a practically new Second Chamber, The conference derived great benefit from a study of existing Second Chambers in Foreign countries and British dominions.

The conference agreed upon making the popular element in the Chamber predominant, but did not favor nomination by the Crown or direct election on the same basis as for the House of Commons, which would render the Second Chamber little better than a duplicate of the House of Commons. The conference largely adopted a method of election by members of the House of Commons grouped in territorial areas, and also adopted a plan for voting by proportional representation in order to_ secure due representation of all political parties. The conference decided to divide Great Britain into thirteen areas, corresponding to the ancient divisions of the country out of which the United Kingdom had*grown. The total number of members chosen on this plan would be 246, or 273 if Ireland were included. The conference having thus given a popular character to the Chamber next sought a method to preserve the historical continuity of the new Chamber with the ancient House of Lords. The conference agreed that part of the Chamber should be chosen from the peers, and that a small number should be taken from the Episcopal, bench*. In fixing the number from the existing House it was thought proper to make the number larger at the outset, in order to find room for -peers who had been active in public life, than it need be in future years. The conference recommended eighty-one as the number of these, which would be gradually reduced to thirty, the remaining fifty-one seats becoming ultimately open to persons who need not be peers. Members for this section of the Chamber would be chosen by a joint Standing Committee of both Houses. The tenure of both sections would be twelve years, onethird retiring every four year§. Selection by the joint Committee would always precede the election of territorial groups. If the Second Chamber should continue its appellate jurisdiction, the law lords would remain ex-officio members. Members of the Royal house would be similarly retained. Clergy of the Anglican, Roman, Scottisb, and Irish Churches should be eligible for election. The conference discussed the admission of members representing the Overseas Dominions, but the terms of reference precluded a recommendation. The Commission, however, trusts the Government will consider the subject. i The joint Committee of both Houses | should decide when the Second Chamber i should have power to deal with a Bill j when doubts arose as to whether it was purely a .money bill. Disagreement be- | tween- the Chambers should also be set. i tied by a joint conference. The question of solving a deadlock by a referendum was considerably supported, but the conference rejected the idea.