IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3167, 13 March 1911, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

REFORM OF THE LORDS. THE SOLICITOR-GENERAL’S VIEWS. (.United pbess association-copyright.) (Received March 12, 5 p.m.) LONDON, March 11. Sir J. A. Simon, the Solicitor-Gene-ral, speaking at Wakefield, declared that the opponents to the proposals for the reform of the House of Lords, were multitudinous, but all sought to eliminate as a factor the power of the Crown to create peers, as a means of overcoming the peers’ obstinance. “The influence of a drug,” lie added, “sometimes counteracted by an injection of a further quantity of the same substance.” The Liberals had not surrendered this method of neutralising hereditary legislators by an overdose of heredity, at any rate until the relations between the two Houses were so altered as to make the House of Commons effectively prominent. The veto must go first. HOME RULE AND DISESTABLISHMENT. Mr. Hugh Edwards, M.P., speaking at Pontyeymmer, declared that Mr. Redmond had promised, in return for the Welsh support of the Home Rule Bill, that every Nationalist M.P. would support Welsh Disestablishment, even in the autumn session of 1912. THE PREMIER AND THE CROWN. Captain Norton, M.P. for West Newington, speaking in the House of Commons, referred to the Veto Bill. He said that nobody was in a position to know the arrangement the Crown had made with the Premier. His firm conviction was that, as the Liberal leader, Mr. Asquith was not the man to delude his Government, his followers, or _ the country. Mr. Asquith had obtained from the Crown whatever guarantees were necessary, and he thought the Crown would be loyal to the Constitution, and equal to dealing with any constitutional change demanded by the people.