THE PEERS YIELD

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7866, 31 July 1911, Page 4

THE PEERS YIELD

The peers hare capitulated. : In the words of the Duke of Wellington on a similar historic occasion: “Deform, my lords, has triumphed.” The Duke, Sty is true, spoke in no appreciative sense, for he dolorously proceeded to observe; “The barriers of the Constitution have broken down, the waters of destruction have burst the gates of the temple, and the tempest begins to howl. Who can say where its course should stop ? Who can stay its speed?” As events have proved, there was not a great deal to be alarmed about, but no doubt much the same spirit that animated the Tory leader in 1832 exists among the Lords who have now signified a willingness to pass the Parliament Bill. The “tempest” forecasted by the Duke of Wellington has “howled” so mildly after all, that for seventy-nine years the House of Lords has been able to resist it. But if the spread of democratic thought has not been ias a tempest it has been none the lees real. It has steadily gathered in volume and power, and, although

loss noisy and demonstrative than that which scared the Crown and the peers into submission in the early part of last century, it is stronger and claims greater recognition as a political force. In a sense, the-measure about to pass is another Reform Bill, for just as the 1832 Bill widened self-governing authority, so does the Veto Bill open the way for abolition of plural voting. If tho British Government and its following had sought revenge (which, of course, it has not) rather than to remove obstacles from tho legislative pathway, it could hardly have been more completely satisfied to-day. The gentleman on whoso motion tho Budget was rejected twenty months ago spent a busy timo last week persuading his friends to accept a measure to pro•vent them so offending again. After witnessing some theatrical show of resistance by tho “stalwarts” under the Earl of Halsbury, Lord Lansdowno has disarmed tho revolutionaries, and a sufficient puinber have decided to accept Mr 'Asquith’s terms. Thus does tho assault of 1909 on tho people’s rights become transformed into retreat. Last Thursday wo were told that at ! least a hundred and thirty heroes wore ready to “die in tho ditch.” Deserters during tho following twentyfour hours reduced tho number to sixty or seventy. This morning tho suggestion is made that they may not fight at all—-that the stalwarts may not oven call for a division. Of course it is a terribly bitter pill tho peers are taking, but tho way of transgressors is proverbially hard, and their Lordships after all, may be the better for tho physic.