THE LORDS CONQUERED.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXV, Issue 13059, 29 April 1910, Page 4

THE LORDS CONQUERED.

Tin: Lords have paosed the Budget! Hurrah 1 This cmpha.-.i-ics what Lloyd-Gcorgo said on Wednesday, when, taunted by his opponents: ‘■The country had decided in favour of the Budget; if the Opposition thought otherwise, let the Lords reicct it if they dared.” They liavfe not dared to reject it, and in passing it they have, from their own point of view, accepted the lesser of two evils. For it goes without saying that had they rejected the Budget, they would probably have been reformed out of existence. They passed the Budget, not bccau.sc they believed in its principles, but because ttcy feared that if they refused to give effect to the wishes of the country as expressed at the ballot-box, tho Government would carry out its. threat, and Hood the lauds with new , uppoini•ments as was threatened in 18T> when tho Reform Bill was passed under pain of “swamping” the Upper House. The question now is. will the Veto resolutions bo proceeded with, and if they arc will the Lords accept them- When refusing to pass the Budget last session, the Lords claimed that the country had not demanded it. That argument does not hold good now, and tho Lords have accepted the inevitable. Interest now will centre on the Veto Bill, which will come on after the adjournment, during which time numbers’ will have an opportunity of considering the provisions of tho measure, which will now be circulated.