ELECTORAL REFORMS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11752, 6 February 1918, Page 5

ELECTORAL REFORMS

PROPORTIONAL REPRES IfiN tIATION. 5 (Australian-N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received Last Night, 11.5 o'clock.) LONDON, Feb. 4. In the House of Lords, Lord Selborne moved that the House docs not insist on the proportional representar tion amendment, but insists on am amendment on the lines that Mr Asquith suggested. Lord Selboftne said that the'existing scheme inflicted a cruel injustice on agriculture. Proportional representation was in accord with the highest democratic principles. He had no foreboding about this. It was a tremendous experiment in democracy, providing thai Parliament applied the only principle which could give a real reflection of the people's will. As a compromise lie- asked the House of Lords to return the Bill,, with a clause giving effect to the recommendations of the Speaker's Conference. Lord Selbortne's motion was carried by 86 votes to 35. The Right Hon. L. Harcourt said that the Lords were heading straight for another defeat. They would not dare destroy the Bill and face national disaster., Lord Lansdowne appealed to Earl Curzon to throw his weight on the eide of Lord Selborne's reasonable compromise. The responsibility of 'wrecking the Bill would be with the House of Oommons. Lord Crewe desired that the. experiment bo tried, but he did not believe the House of Commons would accept the scheme. A serious objection would be th& London opposition. Lord Curzon said that it was essential to prevent the two Houses comiug into conflict. Certainly the Lords had not shown a Wrecking attitude. Personally he hoped that the experiment would be made with proportional representation. The Lords insisted .om. the amendment, rejecting the alternative vote "by G6 to 29.