IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14784, 17 March 1910, Page 7

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

REFORM OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS. NECESSITY FOR A SECOND CHAMBER. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, March 15. In the course of his speed) on. the question of the reform of the House of Lords Lord Rosebsry referred to Sir G. H. Reid, the High Commissioner for Australia, as n man of infinite ability, popularity, and geniality. No better choice for the position could possibly have been made. He asked: How could Sir George Reid possibly justify to Australians the abolition of a. Second Chamber in. Great Britain when Australia, on the institution of Federation in 1900, look care to secure a strong and efficient Senate? The colonies had always taken care to secure a strong Second Chamber.

ELECTIVE CHAMBER ADVOCATED SPEECH BY SIR E. GREY. LONDON, March 15. In the course of a speech at a Liberal banquet in the city Sir Edward Grey said that if the reform of the House of Lords were left to the other side the Liberals would be courting disaster, death, and damnation. The solution would be an elective Chamber, not necessarily elected simultaneously with the Commons, and not on the same franchise. The Government would reimpose its Budget taxes,, and by that it would stand or fall.

PRESS COMMENT. LONDON, March 15. There is much comment in the newspapers on Lord Rosebery's statement that he deprecated the election of Peers by popular vole, as such a course would only give a feeble understudy of the House of Commons, and would multiply the horrors of a general election; but the Lords would derive dignity by association with corporation* and county councils, if these were formed into elective bodies upon the French basis. The representation provided in this way should form a considerable proportion of the modified Upper House.