THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2116, 26 June 1907, Page 2

THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

United Press Association— Copyright LONDON, June 24. The Peers’ Committee -on Dorcl Newton’s Bilk has elected Lord l ®: bcry chairman, and onleicd » com pie to set -of official papers relating t<o previous attempts to reform the House of Lords.

A DEVOLUTIONARY PROPOSAL. < NEW GOVERNMENT BILL. SYSTEM TO BE RE-MODELLED. Received June 25, 11.10 p.m. LONDON, June 25. Outside of the party newspapers there is little interest m the debate upon the Peers’ reform. Nineteen amendments have heen tabled. Mr. ICincaid Smith s, which the moderate Liberals approve, declares that reform is desirable, but the House of Commons ought not to possess uncontrolled power over legislation. There is no Nationalist amenaAn. unexpected feature of the debate was the Premier’s announcement, towards the close of his opening speech yesterday of the purport of his bill which the Government will introduce at a moment selected at tlieir discretion with a view to ultimately giving statutory form to their policy towards the House of Lords. He declared, in moving a resolution, that the moment' was opportune for the resolution itself, as no conflict was going on. He nuoted the resolutions of 1678 and 1860, and contended that the House of Commons, alone was an authoritative reflex of the people s will. ‘He ridiculed a non-elected House presuming to express the country’s mind whenever the country lapsed into Liberalism. He accused Mr. Balfour of treachery in December in calling upon the Lords to override the Commons. (Prolonged Ministerial cheers.) The constitution knew nothing of the doctrine of “a special mandate.” This innovation in the Lords was designed to shelter them n> rejecting bills. Tlieir. claim to force a dissolution was a usurpation of the Royal prerogative. His ultimate bill would, provide that in the oV4U I I- of a disagreement on any given bill the two Houses will appoint an equal number of members to confer. If the ■onference is unproductive a similar or modified bill will be reintroduced in six months unless in cases of emergency. and passed, and then sent to he Lords. In the event of a' disagreement there would be another conference. If this failed the bill would bo reintroduced, passed swiftly, and sent to the Lords with an intimation that unless it was accepted 1 it would be passed over their heads. 1 (Loud Ministerial cheers.) ; He pro--1 posed to prevent arbitrary action by ' an effete Government by means oi quinquennial Parliaments.

UNREST IN FRANCE. THE CONCILIATORY BILL. APPROVED BY SOUTHERN DEPUTIES. United Press Association—Copyright PARIS, June 24. A Bill introduced into the Chamber of Deputies compels winegrowers to make an annual declaration of the amount of crop. It imposes a supplementary tax on sugar, and also compels grocers selling over 25 kilos to declare the amount above. Si utherri deputies admit that the measure ought to improve the situation immediately. A SOCIALIST APPEAL. PARIS, June 24. M. Jaures, Socialist leader, prints in large typo in the j ouTSKtisHaraanite an appeal from the General’ Confederation of Labor to the poletariat, headed, “Government of Assassins.” The manifesto eulogised the Agde soldiers’ mutiny, and predicts' the cc ming collapse of the whole class of bourgeoise exploiters.