THE POLITICAL CRISIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14530, 18 November 1910, Page 5

THE POLITICAL CRISIS.

REFORMING THE LORDS. n VETO BILL INTRODUCED. 5 ■■ s SUPPORT FROM THE PEERS -t» s _ ( S " DEATHBED REPENTANCE." |• By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. ) '' (Received November 17, 10.30 p.m.) 3 ' London, November 17. - When the House of Lords assembled c the Marquis of Lansdowne, inviting * the Government to submit the Parr liament (Veto) Bill, announced that i the Lords were ready .with a solution i of the Second Chamber problem. [ This included reduction of mcmberI ship and the abolition of the heredi- > tary principle. The new House l should give adequate representation ' of the best elements of the existing * House, reinforced from outside. [ As the conference had failed, the * Government should, he declared, ' proceed with the Veto Bill. ' The Earl of Crewe said the Governr ment was willing to do this, and he 1 would introduce the Bill and take its ! second reading this week. The 1 House must then either pass or reject the Bill, but the Government would ! not accept any amendment. The Marquis of Lansdowne said he was doubtful of the usefulness of a discussion of the Bill without the possibility of its amendment, but he would consult his colleagues. He added: "We are all ready to devise means, whereby the difference between the Houses can be solved in a reasonable and, if possible, amicable manner." Proceeding Lord Lansdowne remarked that Mr. Asquith himself had referred to the possibility of joint sessions, yet the Government was precipitately dissolving Parliament, and presumably throwing the finances into irremediable confusion. The claim of the House of Commons of preponderance in finance was not unreasonable if the claim was reasonably interpreted. The Earl of Crewe declared that after the failure of the Veto Conference the country would, regard another discussion on the limitation of the veto as absolute waste of time. Hitherto all the proposals made to reform that Chamber implied that its reconstruction would give the Lords such authority in the eyes of the country that they ought to retain the whole of their present powers. He added : " You don't know yourselves what you mean by reform. We must deal with you as you are." Lord Rosebery announced that he would proceed to-morrow with the resolution embodying his scheme of j reform. The House must itself affirm, the sincerity of its desire for reform. The Earl of Crewe, answering Lord Balfour of Burleigh, said he reserved his reply as to what the Government would do regarding amendment if the House of Lords read the Parliament Bill a second time. The Bill was ,then read a first time. The Daily Chronicle charncterises the action of the Lords as deathbed ! repentance. The Marquis of Lansdowne's speech was smooth and" plausible, but belonged to a world of make-believe. APPEAL TO THE COUNTRY. FORCING A DISSOLUTION. (Received November 17, 10 p.m.) London, November 17, It is understood that the Government still intend to persist in a dissolution before the 28th hist. Sir A. F. Ackland Hood (Chief Unionist Whip) stated last evening that if a dissolution is forced it will be because the Government is unable to get its Budget, except with Mr. Redmond's leave. Mr. Asquith opens his campaign on Saturday with an address at the National Liberal Club, and Mr! Lloyd-George speaks at Limehouse on Monday. The Times, referring to Mr. Asquith' declaration regarding guarantees, says that the Government would have been in a stronger position if it had resigned after a victorious election, because the creation of peers was withheld. The Unionists must strain every nerve to make it clear that the composition of the Lords is a secondary matter. KING COMES TO LONDON. A SERIES OF SURPRISES. London, November 16. Several surprises marked the course ,of events in the political arena to-day. The first was when Lord Lansdowne invited the Govern- ! ment to submit the Parliament (Veto) Bill for Parliament's consideration and decision. King George came to London from Sandringhara in order to confer with Mr. Asquith. The conference included Mr. Asquith and the Earl of Crewe (Secretary of State for India), and at its conclusion His Majesty returned to Sandringham. There were further surprises when the House of Lords met. The Daily Chronicle notes the subtlety of Lord Lansdowne's resolution demanding the Parliament Bill, instead of the Veto resolutions, since the Bill contains a preamble favouring- a reformed Second Chamber, which caused Liberal perplexity and doubt when it was introduced last spring. The Daily News says that if the ' Government resigns the only conclu- s sion will be that the King has inter- 1 vened by refusing contingent guaran- « tees, but it is inconceivable that the ! Crown should ally itself with the ] House of Lords to prevent the judg- i ment of the people, solemnly given < at the election, being; carried into * \ '" wt ' .

law. It adds: "We have Mr. Asquith's solemn pledge that Parliament will not dissolve unless contingent guarantees are in his possession." •, .. > The Daily -.Telegraph protests against the Throne being dragged into the controversy. The Morning Post says that there are few Englishmen who are not exasperated that questions of grave moment should be decided by politicians possessing power through g foreign money, this being a reference to the funds collected by the Nationalists in America. CROWN HAD BETTER BEWARE. KEIR BARDIE'S OUTBURST. ' (Received November 17, 11 p.m.) London, November 17. d Mr. Keir Hardic, M.P., speaking g at Bermondsey, said he hoped it was not true that the King was interfering with regard to dissolution. n When the coronets were in the meltL ing pot the Crown had better beware. [. People were , blind to their own e ; interests while they bowed to the n threefold demon of Imperialism, g Militarism, and Eoyalism. f LABOUR DESERTERS. [ y e ~ SOCIALIST PAPER'S ATTACK. s . (Received November 17, 11 p.m.) 0. t Berlin, November 17. ■j The Vorwarts, the leading Socialist paper, attacks Mr. D. Shackleton, B who has become Labour Adviser to x the Home Office, for joining the 3 Liberal bureaucracy, and other 3 Labourites for accepting posts in the , Labour Exchanges. , The Vorwarts adds that the Bri--2 tish Labour movement is without j ideals, and expresses the hope that the deserters are making room for ' younger and socialistically-minded elements. f ============== f