THE HOUSE OF LORDS

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13751, 26 April 1918, Page 5

THE HOUSE OF LORDS

PROPOSED RECONSTRUCTION. WIDE, SWEEPING SUGGESTIONS. OVERSEAS REPRESENTATION FAVOURED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received April 26, 8.15 a.m. LONDON, April 25. Viscount Bryce has presented the report of the Conference on the reform of the House of Lords.

In a covering letter he states that the Conference survey";! the whole constitutional p6sition with a view to creatiny an efficient Second Chamber, either by modifying the present House of Lords or constituting a practically new Second Chamber.

The Conference derived great benefit from the study of existing Second Chambers in foreign countries and British dominions. The Conference agreed upon making the popular element in the Chamber predominant, but did not favour nomination by the Crown or direct election on the same basis as for the House of Commons, which would render the Second Chamber little better than a duplicate of the House of Commons.

The Conference largely adopted a method of election by members of the House of Commons grouped in territorial areas, and also adopted a plan of voting by proportional representation in order to secure due representation of all political parties. The Conference decided to divide Great Britain into 13 areas, corresponding to the ancient divisions of the country, out of which. the United Kingdom had grown. The total number of members to be chosen by this plan would be 246, or 273 if Ireland were included.

The Conference having thus given a popular character to the Chamber, next sought a method to preserve the historical continuity of the new Chamber with the ancient House of Lords. The Conference agreed that part of the Chamber should be chosen from the peers, and that certain small numbers should be taken from the Episcopal Bench. In fixing the number from the existing House it was thought proper to make the number larger at the out- . set, in order to find room for peers who had been active in public life, than it need be in future years. The Conference recommended 81 as the number of these, which would be' gradually reduced to 30, the remaining 51 seats becoming ultimately open to persons who need not be peers. Members for this section of the Chamber would be chosen by a joint standing committee of both Houses. The tenure of both sections would be 12 years, one-third retiring every four years. Selection by a joint committee would always precede the election of the territorial groups. If the Second Chamber should continue its appellate jurisdiction in regard to law the Lords would remain ex officio members. Members .-> of the Royal House would similarly be retained. Clergy of the Anglican, Roman, Scottish and Irish churches should be eligible for election. The Conference discussed the admission of members representing the Overseas Dominions, but the terms of reference precluded any recommendation. The Commission, however, trusts that the Government will consider this subject. A joint committee of both Houses should decide when the Second Chamber shall have power to deal with a Bill when doubts arose as to whether it was purely a money Bill. Disagreement between Chambers would also be settled by a joint Conference. The question of solving a deadlock by a referendum was considerably supported, but the Conference rejected the idea.