ANIMATED DEBATE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1108, 22 April 1911, Page 5

ANIMATED DEBATE.

■AMENDMENT REJECTED. (Rcc. April 21, 10.45 a.m.) London, April 21. In the debate on the Veto Bill an amendment by Mr. Cavo (Unionist), with the object of making Clause 2 only operative after a dissolution, and providing that Home Rule, Disestablishment, and licensing reform is first approved bv the electors, was defeated by 222 to 136. There- v. as another animated debate on a proposal that the clause should bo inopcratvo in the case of Bills extending the duration of Parliament. This was rejected by 235 to 150. Mr. Asquith said there were many amendments on the order paper, and to save trouble lie wished.to make it clear that tho Government would not accept any. It was impossible to discriminate: Between the constitutional and other changes the Government would want machinery, among other things, in order to give effect to Home Rulo for Ireland, and it was ridiculous to expect tho Government to impose a selfdenying ordnance. Mr. Balfour argued that if the Government's contentions were correct, any Second Chamber would be useless. It was monstrous that the House of Commons should be made omnipotent. VIEWS OF FOREICN STATESMEN, COUNT SERGIUS WITTE. B.v Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, April 20. The "Daily Telegraph" is publishing tho viows of foreign statesmen on tho Veto Bill. Count Sergius Witte, a member of tho Russian Council of tho Empire, says that at first, as a Conservative, lie sympathised with the House of Lords. A truly sorry mistako was committed by the Lords in rejecting the Budget, i Unless lie had been misinformed, the members of the Upper Chamber had ' managed to burn their fingers in cold water. The Lords had set their faces l against reform. which they were now ; willing to accept.