REFORM OF HOUSE OF LORDS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14589, 26 April 1918, Page 7

REFORM OF HOUSE OF LORDS.

POPULARISING THE SECOND CHAMBER.

LORD BRYCE'S COMMITTEE

REPORTS

IMPORTANT CONSTITUTIONAL

CHANGES

(Elec. Tel. Copyriglit— United Press Assn. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association l

(Received April 26, 8.45 a.m.) ' LONDON, April 25. Lord Bryce has presented the report of a confei'ence on reform of the House of Lords.

A covering letter states" that the conference surveyed the whole constitutional position with the view to creating ah, efficient second -Chambei' either by modifying the present House of Lords or constituting practically a new second Chamber. The conference derived great benefit from the study of the existing second Chambers m i oreign countries and the British Dominions.

The confernce agreed upon making the popular element m the Chamber pre : dominant; but- did not favor nomination by the Crown, or direct election on , the same basis as the Cqmmons, which would render the second Chamber little better than a duplicated Commons. .The conference largely adopted the ihethod of election by members of the House of Commons grouped,, m territorial areas/ It also adopted a 'plan of voting by proportional representation m., order to secure due representation of all. political parties. '„•.,'.. The conference decided to .divide Great Britain into thirteen areas, corresponding, to thb ancient divisions of the country out of which the United Kingdom has grown A The* total number of members, chosen by this plan will- be; 346, 0r.275 ; if liielapd is included. ; The confcrenceAlijiving, thus given a' popular character to the Chamber,' hex.t.| sought a method to, preserve the his-\ torieal "contivuiity of the new Chatnbey' with the ancient Lords. The conference agreed that phi*t.4)f the Chamber should ! be chosen from peers, and that a certain small number should be taken from the Episcopal bench.^. In fixing the number from the existing House it was though Jy proper to , make •■the* , number larger, at, thq, Qiitset, . m order, to find ' room fo'i- peers' who liave been active In public life, than 'it need ibe 'm: future years. Tlie conference, recommended eiffhtv-one as the number of these, which will bo gradually reduced to thirty, the remaiiiiii* fifty -oiie seats becoming 'ulti-. mately opejtj topper sons \yhfl n<?ed.i>ot ba £ peers. Members for this section of the Cliamber will be chosen by a joint standing committee of both- Houses. The tonnre.of both sections to^-.be. ;t.\yelve t years, one-third retiring every four years. A selection by... the joint. • .committee, would always precede the election of territorial groups. Tf the second Ohamber sliould continue its appellate jurisdictttKi* the Law Lords would remain ex -officio members. .M^jnbei-s.ofj.^.b'e.'^pyal House are similarly retained/. / Cfe'rgy oi'tho Anglican, Roman^ Scottish, and Irish Churches should be eligible for /election. J£he . discyssed ( the t admission 'Of membei-s the, overseas dominions/ but jthe. ter Qis pf the preference precluded ;a ; - recommendation, ; but t^ie' commission trusts the mil consider the subject. A joint, pommittpe; of both Houses^shcrtild decide whether the second Qhamber hSS power to dealwith a Bill when doubts arose as to whether it was purely a money Bill. Disat^reements between the Chambers , should j also be ; sett^d by a : . joint con- . *f erence. ,- , The, question of solving a . dead- j Jock by referendum was considerably I /supportsd, but the conference rejected the idea.