BRITISH POLITICS.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11957, 10 June 1907, Page 3

BRITISH POLITICS.

THE HOUSE OF LORDS. Received June 9, 4.35 p.m. London, June 8. Spaaking at the conference of the National Liberal Federation at Flymouth, Mr T. Shaw, K. C. , Lord Advocate for Scotland, in referring to the House of Lords, said the die was cast, and it would be the people's struggle for the mastery of the Commons. Sir H. U. Bancerman's scheme leave no beating about the bush. In the evening meeting at thfe d till -telU. Sir H. G. Bannerman, addressing a gathering of six thousand, declared that the harmony of the Liberal Party, both inside and outside the House, was perfect, and never so great as at present. It had gained 'rather than lost in intensity. The Lords had teen responsible for an enormous waste of time, and the succession of blows by the Lords at the authority of the Compions, though .directed agaiost particular measures, were part of a peneral scheme for discrediting any Liberal Government. The very existence of Liberalism 8S a power in the State depends on the struggle whereon the Government was embarking.

Sir H. 0. Banuerman continned to say that; if self respecting Liberalism, with the country behind it, was unable to enforce its policy it had better go down in asserting its rights than linger .a3 the shadow of a Government. The Lords had abused their powers witbia the Constitution, and the Liberals in assigning them their proper place are defendin the Constitution, which the Lords are straining. The time for compromising, temporizing, and expostulating bad gone, and the Lords must be told that the people must be masters in their own house. According to accepted constitutional doctrine the last word and ultimate supremacy rested with the Commons.

The "Times" declares tbat the Government's plan, apparently, "was in nowise to attempt to secuure an expression of the permanent intentions of the people. Its plan was the putting of the party majority of the Commons in a position of supremacy. This was never intended, and it would fundamentally alter the Constitution and defeat; the Government's professed objects.