IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2764, 19 March 1910, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

-THE ROTTEN POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT.” United Press Association—Copyright LONDON, March ,17. The dissatisfaction with Sir Edward Grey’s speech at the (Liberal banquet is increasing. Liberals complain that he has dispelled the hopes of adjusting difficulties with the Nationalists. Sir Edward Grey’s declaration that the Government intends to proceed with the reform of the House of Lords is extremely distasteful to the Labor Party. The “Standard” states that Sir Edward Grey, Mr. Haldane, Mr. McKenna, and Lord Crewe insist on combining reform with 'limitation of the Lord’s power of veto. The “British Weekly” complains that the Government intends to spring upon the nation a scheme for reforming the Lords and the introduction of the Budget, together with the certainty of defeat, and that they are apparently determined not to approach the King. The enthusiasm of Ncnceniformists for the Government, the paper adds, is nearly worn out.

Mr. Redmond, in a speech at Newcastle, complained of the rotten policy of the Government. He declared that Bir Edward Grey’s speech, on Monday, showed that the Government proposed to relax its grip upon the Budget- before the veto was settled.

The newspapers interpret .Lord Cnrzon’s proposals to mean, firstly, the nomination of an undisclosed number of peers by the Government 0 f the day: secondly, that the election of English poors should be conducted on the same principle as that on which the Irish and Scotch- peers are chosen; thirdly, that ■county councils and great corporations should be formed into electoral colleges to select 84 representatives to the ■Tipper House. W)RD COURTNEY CRITICISES THE COMMONS. (Received March 18, 9.ih) p.m.) LONDON, March IS. Lord Courtney discussed Lord Rosebery’s resolution from the standpoint of divergence of the two Houses. He incidentally criticised the House of Commons as not being a true Council of the Nation owing to the absence of representatives of seme great elements, which were, he said, absent, just as some great elements were absent from the House of Lords. He concluded by • detailing his scheme of the representation in the House of Lords of capital, labor and Nationalists.

LORD LANSDOWNE ON REFORM OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

Lord Lansdowne emphasised the fact that nobody objected to going into eo;n_ mittee on the resolutions, inasmuch as such an attitude was equivalent to declaring that the House was perfect. He dwelt on the seriousness of the proposal to ask a large number of peers to surrender their duties and privileges. He hoped that Lord Rosebery would submit an ultimate scheme of continuity, 'keeping on the right side, of the line between reform and revolution. Die House of Lords was a. going concern, with considerable goodwill, which ought not to be sacrificed. If new blood was introduced, old traditions should be retained. He would greatly regret anvil Iteration in the name, of the House, a name whereof there was no reason to be ashamed. He trusted that reform •would be on an equitable, reasonable

'■basis, not excluding the hereditary principle. The country’s recent verdict was no wholesale condemnation. The; f principle, of reform should be simple, tfo remarked that one picturesque, attmotive, impractical suggestion favored including representatives- of the oversea dominions. Surely, he said, the Imperial Parliament.was-' one thing, and tlie second (hatnher another. H>. •would ask these familiar with the opinion of the great colonies whether the latter greatly desired to be associated with the Motherland 1 in the everyday work of legislation, xxe did not think that the Dominions would part witn their best men for the. purpose of attending, nor be grateful for the amount of representation granted, which would necessarily be small. He concluded b\ reviewing various practical methods of reform. LORD CREWE’S OPINIONS. (Received March 18, 9.45 p.m.) Lord Crewe said he was not opposed to Lord Rosebery's resolutions, but the primary urgent, question concerned the relations of the two Houses. What was unpopular was not the ..editary principle, but tlie uncontrolled exercise of hereditary power. He added that the Commons must have ■(? xneir way) regarding any reform of the House of Lords. LORD ROSEBERY’S RESOLUTION \ CARRIED.

The resolution was then agreed to, and 1 the House went into committee, and adjourned till Monday. REWARDS FOR GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS. (Received MarchTß, 9.45 p.m.) Sir Samuel Evans has been created a Privy Councillor, and Mr. Rufus Isaacs a knight. [Sir Samuel Evans represented MidGlamorganshire in the Reuse or Commons since 1900, and was appointed -Solicitor-General in 1908. Mr. Rufus Isaacs is M.P. for. Reading.]

CABLE NEWS.

LORD CURZON ATTACKS THE GOVERNMENT. (Received March 18, 10.35 p.m) Lord Curzon, speaking at the Junior Constitutional Club, referring to the elections and the Government’s position, said that there was no greater in, stance of a sudden catastrophe of disintegration. He remarked that tho Government’s tactics were intended l to prolong and produce confusion, and put their enemies into a false position. Iho country expected a broad-minded, dispassionate, statesmanship. It had not expected that the Government’s policy would be actuated by the spirit of a political gambler. The country did not intend the House of Lords to go. The Government were. not. exactly Cromwells, competent to destroy one of the two Houses. It would not be by sham Robespierres that any great revolution can be carried. The Lords should follow on broad, generous lines. He hoped that the approaching elections would return a party strong enough to carry such reforms in the constitution as were required and to pass sound measures of fiscal and social reform.

THE GOVERNMENT’S UPPER HOUSE SCHEME.

(Received March 19, 12,55 a.m.) The “Times” says that the Government’s present plan for electing a second Chamber is to subdivide Great Britain and Ireland into seventy-five enormous constituencies, each returning two members, a senior member for eight and a junior for four years, members to be elected to replace the latter to serve the remaining four years. THE NATIONALISTS’ INTENTIONS. Mr. Redmond, at the Irish banquet in London, said the Nationalists were anxious to prevent a failure of the veto campaign, but did not intend to participate in a sham battle. They demanded a straight fight, not a Fabian policy. Come weal, come, woe, they would stand by their pledges. He did not know whether they would succeed or whether the Irish cause would have once more to wait.

Mr. O’Connor, in a speech at Liverpool, said that in the fight with the Lords the Budget was a weapon which ought to be fearlessly used.

A MINISTER ATTACKS THE HEREDITARY PRINCIPLE.

Mr Herbert Samuel, Postmaster-Gen-eral, speaking at Basingstoke, said that the hereditary principle must go.