REFORMED SECOND CHAMBER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14531, 19 November 1910, Page 7

REFORMED SECOND CHAMBER.

LORD ROSEBERY'S SCHEME. (Received November 18, 11.50 p.m.) London, November 18. In the House of Lords last evening Lord Rosebery moved the follow ing resolutions for reform of th Second Chamber:— _1. That- in future tlio Houee of Lords consist of Lords of Parliament—(a) Chosen by the whole body of hereditary peers among \ themselves and lv- nomination of the : Crown; (b) sitting by virtue of of!ices and qualifications; (c) chosen from outside. 2. That the term of tenure of all be the same, except of those sitting ex-officio, who will sit as long as they hold the office on account of which they sit. Lord Rosebery declared that the prineiples of his resolutions would to a large extent solve the constitutional problem without convulsions of continuous elections. The differences between the Houses were capable of settlement by conferences and referendum, the latter in acute cases. Lord Courtney declared that the scheme was such a phantom one that it was . hardly to be grasped by any rational man. The Earl of Selborne held that reforms were bona-fide with no mental reservations. It was impossible for one half the public to coerce the other. The Government was unable to settle the question by their own ideas alone. Lord Newton remarked: " The melancholy fact is that a lot of us have to go." The Marquis of Lansdowne declared that he was prepared to support Lord Rosebery' scheme. He attached great importance to nominations. by /the..Government of the day. It would mean the mitigation of the disparity in the strength of the two parties. The first resolution was carried without division. The second was not discussed, and was withdrawn."