REFORM OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10763, 10 May 1911, Page 4

REFORM OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

I.OHD LAXSDOAVNKS PROPOSALS. A MOTLEY CREW. I By Electric Ti:Lr.r,RArn —CorYinoiiT.] (Pep. Pp.iiss Association'.) Ueceived .Mav !!. ai Kl.-lU p.m. Loudon. May 9. The House of Lords was packed wle-ii Lord L.ans'lov. r,e introduced his reform scheme. Amongst the members of the liou.-e of Commons filling the -mall .side galleries, allotted them, he-.-id.'S several nan,hers of the Covernui' nt. was Sir R. I!. Finlay. who is rcg;ird«-d as the principal draughtsman of tin Rill, which was read a first time. Lord Lansdowne urged that the reterm should proceed simultaneously with the measure detailing the relation,, of the two Houses. The I'llioll-i.-l, tlcired a second chamber commanding the eouiideiiee of the country bv its abililv. experience, and autho-i-jtv. and above sill by its independence, a chamber which might be trusted to ii .-j- its powers fairly towards both the great parties., and be in close touch with public opinion, without being at the mercv of popular caprice; a chamber strong enough to make a stand where there was reason to believe the countrv had nut had an opportunity of expressing its will dearly and deliberate! v. He did not claim that the proposed chamber should have co-ordmate lights with the House of Commons, and i agreed that mere heredity should no | hm-'er entitle to a seat. Thus only I those would be eligible who possessed t certain statutory qualifications, which with election by their compeers would prove their fitness and eligibility, the schedule enumerating the qualifications included peers who had held political office or important appointments at Home or abroad, membership ot the Privy Council, and the diplomatic service, or captains in the navy and colonels on the active list. Lord Lansdowne said his Bdl proposes that the Crown nominations shall be proportionate to the -strength ot parties in the Hmise of Commons, and the election of 120 representative men by the electors. All the colleges shall be composed of; members of, .the House of Commons representing constituencies within each district, each college electing three to twelve members. Any peer is to he among the eligibles. the order of retirement is to. be determined firstly bv ballot... Archbishops are to sit during the tenure of their sees, and the law lords forlife. The elections are to be in .accordance with an Order-rUi-Cohncil, with representation of minorities. The creating of new peerages is not to exceed .five in one. .year.. .Any peer, unless he he a Lord of Parliament, is to he eligible for, the House of Commons./ .. .. , ••■ .m,„ Lord Lansdowne, in emphasising jne gravity of the change, reminded those who, possibly regarded the Bill as almost a'betrayal, .that some changes or. the sort were almost inescapable, lnis Bill will be,in the interest of stability of .goiae institutions which never have been, threatened, as : they ; .are by this movement. • Se mentioned the joint sittings-.of the Houses, o"f, as a kist .resort,, the referendum. He invited Lord Morley to disclose the Government's solution of the matter . ' . Lord: ITorley. . admitted '.that ■■Lord Lansdowne hqd taken a bold and frank and possibly a:useful course..: The. £ov.ernment did not desire to obstruct the Bill, but were unable to .accept it as a solution, as it retained the hereditary principle... The Bill was so com'plicatfed that if submitted to a referendum it would bring the referendum into disrepute. ' .-.;" '■ Received May 10, at 0.5 - : London, May: 9. Mr Asqtiith, as a fnrther concession to the Unionists, postponed the third reading of the Veto Bill till Monday. Received May 10, at 9.50 a.m London, May 9. The Press generally are.surprised, at the far-reaching character of'Lord-Lans-dowhe's proposals. ; ' ' " ! -!".;.■ , The Unionists hope'thb Government will accept it as a basis of compromis;e The Morning Post says the proposals are suicidal'and are the outcome ot a panic. - . , , The Westminster Gazette estimates the Conservative iriajo'rity at 32 under Lord Lansdowne's scheme. ■ Received May 10, at 8.5 a;m: <■ ■ London, May 9. Lord Morley said that ■ Lord - Lansdowne's Bill whs no alternative to the Parliament Bill-; nothing must obstruct the hitter. He protested against the idea of creating si new body uiitil they settled within what'limits it \wuld work. The Government's plan had been fully before the electors; fts-policy; had withdrawn the • absolute veto from the House of Lords whether'reformed or uiireformed,- ,and the Governnieut will proceed with the; Parliament Bill till it finds a place : bn' the Statute Book. It".gave security to the supremacy of the House of Commons-un-impaired and unimpairable. Lord Lansdowne's proposals, were ihadequate,. illusory in many respects,. and didawhat was unnecessary: they 'destroyed the House of Lords. The Bill was unlikely to. advance the question," and,the Government could commit themselvesito no approval-of any portion thereof-as yet presented. . :•'■:-. ' Lord Lansdowne, in-the r course: of his speech, said it was calculated that: his scheme would leave the Unionists an>apparent majority, of 18, which -was- subject to fluctuations and might disappear altogether. : ■; :., ..: , i -> The.Times saj r s yesterday, will remain a remarkable date in our political evolution. The" Constitutional question enters a hew phase, wherein the stubborn reticence of the Government must give place.to definite proposals. The Daily News declares that Lord Lansdowne's Bill protected the' Lords because the decisive faction always rests with hereditary.