IMPERIAL.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 12, 23 March 1910, Page 8

IMPERIAL.

THE House of Hords. taking time by the forelock, is discussing Lord. Rosebery's scheme of reform of bhe Chamber as contained in the following resolution: (1) That a strong and efficient second chamber as an. integral part of the Constitution is necessary for the weflheing of the State and the balance of Parliament. (2) That such a chamber can best be obtained by the reform and reconstruction of the House of Lords. (3) That a necessary preliminary to such reconstruction is the acceptance of the principle that the possession of a peerage should no longer of itself give the right to sit and vote in the House of Lor*.’The debate, which is still proceeding, shows that the majority of the Peers are in favour of some system of reform. Air. Reginald McKenna (First Lord of the Admiralty), speaking in committee on the Navy Estimates, said that these were neither excessive nor insufficient. Two of the five additional Dreadnoughts would be built in the Admiralty’s dockyards, and be laid down in January. The remainder would be constructed by contract, and be laid down in January. He expressed the Government’s gratification at the action that had been taken by the two great Australasian dominions with respect to the Imperial navy. (Cheers.) Mr. McKenna added: “By March, 1913, there will be 20 Dreadnoughts, and thus throughout 1912. till March, 1913, our absolute superiority in Dreadnoughts is secure, and respecting other classes our position is incomparable.’’ In reply to a question by Lord Hugh Cecil, Air. Asquith said that the Government could not give an undertaking, bun intended to pass the Budget before the spring recess. This intention was not contingent upon anything that might happen elsewhere. At the Colonial Institute’s banquet to Sir Geo. Tl. Reid, the Colonial Secretary, the Earl of ( .’re we. announced that present arrangements whereby the Secretary of State for the Colonies looked after business connected with the. overseas dominions and Crown colonies would be permanent. A separation of duties was probable within the near future. The idea of an Imperial Council could best be promoted by taking the oversea dominions into conference, ami whenever the interests of the dominions were concerned with any diplomatic problem, placing th-3 utmost confidence in the statesmen o) the dominions. A dam in the Rhondda Valley, in Glamorganshire, Wales, burst aad occasioned heavy loss. The houses in Clydach Vale, a coal mining village in the valley, were flooded, and several col lapsed. By the collapse of one house a mother and her infant were killed in bed. Six others, mostly children, were drowned in the roaring torrents, and many had narrow escapes. The flood swept huge boulders on to the railway, blocking the traffic. In speaking on the reform of the House of Lords, Lord said that one picturesque and attractive but not practical suggestion had favoured includ ng representatives from the oversea dominions. Surely an Imperial Parliament was one thing and a Second Chamber another. He would like to ask those familiar with opinion in the great colonies whether the latter greatly desired to be associated with the Motherland in the everv-day work of legislation. He did not. t’«ink the Dominions would part with their b s. men for the purpose of attending Parliaments in England, nor would they be grateful for the amount of representation granted, which would necessarily be small. A cashier was found dead in a train near Newcastle with seven bullet wounds in his head. A bag containing £370 is missing. Sir Edward Shackleton is planning another Antarctic expedition for 1911. COMMONWEALTH. Th© Federal election campaign is In full swing in all the States. The parties

are working hard, and strenuous contests are promised. Bertram Armytage, who was a member of Sir E. Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition, committed suicide in a bedroom at the Melbourne Club. He was found lying dressed in his evening clothes, with his Antaretie medals on his breast, clutching a Colt's revolver in his left hand. He was shot through the forehead. His suicide was due to disappointment at failing to obtain a War Office appointment. A brother and sister named Noalk, aged respectively eight and twelve, were found dead in a paddock near Perth, each with a bullet in the forehead. A broken pea rifle which the boy had been carrying was found near. It is surmised that the boy shot his sister accidentally, and took his own life in remorse. The British Postal Department is considering a colonial office dispatch dealing with the question of the opening of the Transandine railway, and suggesting a shorter mail route between Australia and England. It is estimated that mails from England could be landed in Sydney in 27 days. The Newcastle strike is now definitely over, all the mines having resumed. A million in wages was lost by the Newcastle strike. The Victorian Government trade, which practically represents 300.000 tons yearly, has been lost through the opening of the Powlett River mine. Trade to the Philippines has received a setback, from which the industry will take some time to recover.

Mr. Snowball, head of the Orange order, took exception to Lord Dudley’s speech at the opening of the Catholic College on the ground that it favoured Home Rule. Lord Dudley’s private secretary replied that the Earl had never stated In his speech that he favoured Home Rule, but had merely expressed his sympathy with all organisations having for their object the advancement of Irish progress. He added that the Governor-General was

not in favour of any change that would lead to Ireland’s separation from the Empire. Houdini, a music-hall performer, made the first aerial flight in Australia on a Voisin biplane. He made three ascents, in one of which he covered three miles.

The inquiry into the Beaufort railway disaster has concluded. The Coroner found that Driver Coward and Fitter Fewster were chiefly to blame, but that the long period of 14 hours for which Coward was on duty was a contributory cause.

Forty-seven buildings at Fitzroy were damaged by an explosion. An attempt at incendiarism is suspected.