LUNCHEON CLUB

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 102, 31 March 1925, Page 6

LUNCHEON CLUB

“GROWTH OF BRITISH PARLIAMENT.” The orig n of the British House of Commons, the struggle h had with the Sovereigns, and the diminishing power of the King and ho corresponding growth of the House formed an interesting topic ior Air G. I. McGregor to lecture on at to day s Luncheon Club. The House of Commons in its present state originated in the reign of Henry 3rd, when England was in a state of civil war. Henry had refuseil to sign the Magna Charta and abide by its r fho leading power in the lund was the Earl of Leicester and the only power of Parliament there was was a Council of Earls und Barons. The Commoners were not represented. About the year 1264 the struggle with the King over tho great Charter resulted in the King’s capture, and immediately after tho liurl of Leicester issued writs for the gathering of tho l 1 irst Britisli Parliament. To it wore summoned . two citizens from each burgess and two knights from each shire. From 1264 to 1295, continued the speaker, was rather a transitionary period. The Commons was summoned and met at regular intervals and its powers were limited chiefly to physical matters, such as pertaining to tho revenue to carry on tho affairs of tho country. In 1273 Edward Ist came to the throne and to him wo owed the establishment of Parliament on a firm footing. It was a matter of necessity for him to recognise Parliament, for at that time the Kingdom was in a state of war —Wales was in insurrection and England was at war with France. At this stage the speaker quoted from Gardiner’s “History of the Constitution" as to the part of this monarch in Parliament’s establishment; to tins monarch we really owed Parliament in its present form, in 1295 he culled this Parliament and it was a perfect representation of tho State of the Realm —the King the Lords ami representatives of the Commoners. The next gloat point was the confirmation of tin' Magna Chart. l , in 1297. From that date the King could not obtain money fre n the people without calling the people together. The Plantagcnets for the most pan: were constituted monarchies. During tl oso reigns—more particularly tho reign of Edward 111. —three great rights were obtained: all taxation without the consent o; Parliament was abolished; the right of i: ith Houses to concur in Legislature (previously the Acts hud been in the form pf j etitions to the King), and the right of lie Commons to enquire into and amen 1 any abuses of their administrative powers. Under tho Lancastrians tho Commons obtained three great things, which we :e still in existence in present times: Freedom of speech (it was finally determine.l as it existed to-day in the reign of Henry VIII., 1582); freedom from urrest (th s Act was rather abused during later reigns), and the rights of the Commons to determine constituted elections, a right which continued up to 50 years ago, when it was transferred to two judges of the High Court of Justice. Coming to the Tudor line the speaker referred to Henry VII. as one pf roe shrewdest, far-seeing monarchs England has had. He was always fairly diplomatic and by his methods Parliament got on fairly well. During his reign of 24 years it w'as only called about seven times, and then for diort periods. The King had the sole righ of appointing sheriffs and judges and he used this power well to curtail Parliament’s powers. He was very thrifty an 1 because of that he got on very well. Henry VIII. was an absolute despot and, rather curiously, a favourite of the people. This, perhaps, was largely due 10 tho dispute with the Church of Rome and the Reformation of England. Parliament was packed with his own representatives and was in a state of servility. The net result of this reign was that though Parliament hadn’t exercised all its powers its powers were still preserved and still recognised. . The speaker intended carrying Ins hearers on to the Elizabethan period, but time forbade this. The usual hearty vote of thanks was accorded Air AlcGregor.