COMMONS AND LORDS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8306, 10 June 1907, Page 6

COMMONS AND LORDS.

TBiE APPROACHING STRUGGLE

(By Electric Telegrapii—Copyright.; Per Press Association

LONDON, June 8.

Speaking at the Conference of the National liberal Federation at Plymouth, the Right Hon. Thomas Shaw, Lord Advocate for Scotland referring to the House of Lords, said the die was cast and it would be a? people's struggle for the mastery of the House of Commons. Sir H-Campbell-Bannerman's scheme would leave no beating about Ihe bush In the evening at a meeting in the Drill Hall, Sir H. Campbell- Banner - man, addressing a gathering of 6000, declared that the harmony of the Liberal party, both inside and outside the House, was ptrfect and never so great as at present. It had gained rather than lest in intensity. The House of Lords had bc-en responsible for enormous waste of time. Successive blows by the Loids at thi autboiity of the Com mcrs, thDJgh directed against particular measures, were part of a feneial scheme discrediting any iberal Government. The very existence of Liberalism as a power in the State depends on the struggle whereon the Government is embarking. ■' < self-respecting Literalisn, with the country behind it, was unable to force its policy, it had better go down in asserting its rights than linger as a shadow of Government. The Lords l:ad abused tl eir powers within the constitution, and the Liberals, in assigning them their proper place, are defending the constitution which the Lords are straining. The time for compromising, temporising, and expostulating has gone, and the Lords must be told that the people must ba masters in their own House. According to accepted constitutional doctrine, the last word and ultimate supremacy rest with the Commons. ' i

The Times declares that the Government's plan is apparently in nowise an attempt to secure the expression of the permanent intentions of the people. The plan of putting a party majority of the Commons in a position of supremacy was never intended, as it would fundamentally alter the constitution and defeat the Government's professed objects.