THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14916, 11 February 1909, Page 6

THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

It is evident that Mr Asquitli intends to lose no time in challenging the supremacy' of tho House of Lords. In tho customary lotter to the Liberals on the eve of the now session he prophesies that matters of grave moment will arise almost- immediately after Parliament assembles, and the various addresses of Ministers during tho recess have hinted plainly that important reforms would shortly ho introduced in such a shape that the Peers would either Itave to accept them or precipitate a conflict in which tho constitution of tho hereditary chamber would bo the sole issue. We liavo been, warned, too, that the next Budget would contain tho essential elements of the new Liberal policy. On this Budget, tho Prime Minister declared, tho Liberal Government would ho judged. The Financo Bill will enable tho House of Commons to deal drastically with the licensing question, and tho temper ill which the Government took its defeat on that issue suggested that it had some scheme in reserve. It is probable that Mr Lloyd George will adopt the popular American system of high licenses as a means of reducing tho number of bars, and it may bo that he will supplement the high licensee with a stiffen tax on intoxicants. The attention that has been paid by tho Liberal newspapers lately to the question of a graduated land tax suggests that the Government docs not intend to neglect the problem of land reform. Tho Chancellor of the Exchequer needs money not only for old age pensions and social reforms generally', but also, and more particularly, for the up-kcop of the Navy', and the land could and should be used as a source of revenue for these purposes. Then we may have a graduation of tho income tax with a surtax on incomes that arc not earned. These financial proposals are matters for tho decision of tho House of Commons. Tho House of Lords might reject tho Finance Bill as a whole, hut by doing that it would

paralyse the administrative machinery of tho country. It is impossible to say in what form Mr Asquith will throw down his challenge to tho House of Lords, but it is clear that tho coming session will be unusually interesting and important.