THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12757, 1 April 1910, Page 2

THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

[Prkss Association— Copyright.] Lcnoon, March 30. In the House of Commons notice has been ghen of the first of a bunch of amendments to tlie Government's House of Louis' resolutions, to the eil'ect that the House regards a strong efficient aud second chamber as necessary, and is willing to consider proposals of reform ; but declines proposals destroying the usefulness of any second Chamber, however constituted, and removing the only safeguard against great changes being made by the Gov eminent, of the day, not only without the consent, but against the wishes of the majority of the electors. i The whips have' arranged that this i amendment shall be moved to-morrow, ' and the division be taken on Monday. During the debate 31r R. C. MunroFerguson expressed the moderate Liberal views with regard to the reform ■ of the second chamber, which he said • should precede the limitation of defi- ; nite powers.Mr G. N. Barnes urged the abolition . of the House of Lords. : Interest in the debate has flagged. • There are many absentees and ]the i Peers' gallery is empty. t Mr F. Smith, in a racy speech, twiti ted Mr Asquith with omitting explanations of the -reform proposals. It was F everybody's knowledge that those who ; kept the Government in office were r not committed to reform. Not 30 per i cent of the coalition, members intend- - ed to go to their constituencies in May i or June and ask .'for a mandate for re--1 form of the Houso of Lords. , •' Mr J. A. Simon said the Unionists . would welcome an attempt to com- ; bine complicated reforms with a simp- , ler proposal for the limitation of tho : veto, and if the Government adopted \ the simpler method they would have a - united party behind them. i Tho "Chronicle" agrees with Mr ; Redmond that when the House of l Lords reject the resolutions Mr As--7 quitli should secure the King's proi mise to use his prerogative, and then j dissolve. : The "Chronicle." however disagrees i witli Mr Redmond's idea tbat no other i measure should delay dissolution and v urges that it avohW be absurd to fight i the House of Lords by dropping the Bud-wet, which precipitated the crisis. The "Graphic" says Mr Asquith has not indicated is he promised proposals of reform, but has simply attacked the House of Louis as now constituted. . . Several newspapers comment upon the lack of enthusiasm in the debate on the- veto resolutions. 5 Thirty amendments have been pro- ■ posed to the resolutions. Tho "Standard" declares that the extremists are dissatisfied with Mr Asquith's idea of reforming the House of Lords. The Moderates urge an nmalgamntion of reform with limitation, .of the veto.