IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15256, 17 March 1910, Page 7

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

REFORM OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS. LORD ROSEBERY'S PROPOSALS. THE POPULAR VOTE QUESTION. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, March 15. During his speech in the House of Lords, Lord Rosebery referred to Sir Georgo Reid, the High Commissioner for Australia, as a man of infinite ability, popularity and geniality. No better choice for the position could possibly have been made. Ho asked how Sir George Reid could possibly justify to Australians the abolition of the second Chamber in Great Britain when Australia had taken care to secure a strong and efficient Senate upon the institution of federation in 1900. The colonies, ho added, had always taken care to secure a strong second Chamber. He deprecated the election of peers by popular vote. This, ho said, would only give a feeble understudy of the House of Commons and multiply the horrors of a general election, but the Lords would derive dignity by association with corporations and county councils formed into elective bodies upon the French basis. Representatives provided in this way should form no inconsiderable proportion of the Upper House. WOMEN'S RIGHTS. A NEW CHARTER, LONDON, March 15. Mr Charles M'Laren's so-called "Women's Charter" was read a first time' in the House of Commons. It consists of nine Bills, including the enfranchisement of women, and entitling them to divorce on the ground of the husband's unfaithfulness. It will also grant to wives a sum equivalent to the aggregate of wages earned as housekcopers in the event of the husband's death, divorce, separation, or bankruptcy. All educational facilities are to be shared by both sexes equally. Provision is made for supplying mid- . wives and the establishment of creches, modelled on the German systems introduced by Pestalozzi and Froebol. Homes and milk for infants are to bo provided by the municipalities. THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE. LONDON, March 15. Sir E. Grey, in a speech at a Liberal banquet in the City, said that if the reform of the House of Lords were left to the other side, tho Liberals would bo courting disaster, death and damnation. The solution would bo an elective Chamber, elected not necessarily simultaneously with tho Commons and not on tho same areas. Tho Government would reimposo the Budgot taxes. By that they stood or fell. SUFFRAGETTES IN GAOL. LONDON, March 1(5. In the House of Commons Mr Winston Churchill announced that regulations would bo adopted permitting tho mitigation of the treatment of Suffragettes in gaol.