THE HOUSE OF LORDS. THE GOVERNMEM'S PROPOSAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2779, 19 June 1907, Page 29

THE HOUSE OF LORDS. THE GOVERNMEM'S PROPOSAL.

LORD NEWTON'S BILL.

LONDON, June 15. The select committee appointed by the Peers to consider Lord Newton's bill for the Teform of the House of Lords includes the Duke of Devonshire, Lords Lansdowne, Roseoery, St. Aldwyn, Burton, Selby, Ribblesdale, and Courteney of Penwitt.

[Lord Newton's House of Lords Reform Bill provides for withdrawing the writ to summon a peer unless he has held certain high political, civil, naval, or military offices, or has been elected twice before succeeded to the peerage, or unless elected as a representative peer. All hereditary peers without a seat would elect one-fourth of their number cc representative peers for one Parliament. The bill confers on the- Crown power to appoint life peers to represent the interests of those unrepresented hitherto, and reduces the number of bishops sitting in the House.]

Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman has given notice of the following resolution for discu&sion on the 24th inst: — "In order to

give effect to the will of the people ns . expressed by their elected representatives, it is neceEsaTy that the power of the other House to alter or reject bilk ba so re- "~ J ■**> by law as to secure that within j

the limits of a single .Parliament the final decision of the House of Commons shall prevail." The Unionist newspapers ridicule the Government's attack on the House of Lords.

The Times says : "It carries no practical consequence, but foreshadows a policy of virtual abolition of the House of Lords." The Morning Post : " Concentration of the Liberal energies on the House of Lords question implies a postponement of their promises of social reforms." The Daily News says: "The resolution will mark a revolution, and embodies a great policy, wherein all the forces of reform and democratic progress will be united to abolish the House of Lords' power of veto." The Chronicle: "Sir H. CampbellBannerman is perfectly right not to formulate a plan regarding the House of Lords. The 'proper time for the launching of a definite scheme is when a dissolution takes place."