THE VETO BILL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1203, 11 August 1911, Page 5

THE VETO BILL.

AMENDMENTS REJECTED. KINO'S RELUCTANCE TO CREATE PEERS. FURTHER STATEMENT. By Tolecrapb—tress Associatton-Oopyrlehl London, August 9. On tho proposal of the Government that tho llouso of Commons should consider tho Lords' amendment in the, Parliament Bill, Lord Hugh Cecil, Unionist momber lor Oxford University, moved that tho amendments bo considered that day three months. The motion was defeated, the voting being :— Against the motion 318 For tho motion 209 Majority against 13? Sir Edward Caraon (Dublin University), who seconded the motion, congratulated Mr. Redmond, tho Nationalist leader, on bringing the great Liberal Party to their knees.. Neither the Government, tho Commons,.the Lords, nor tho Crown were free agents, h* declared, since Mr. Asq'uith's blackmailing letter to the lung on November 15. Uproar on the Ministerial benches followed this statement, but tho Speaker refused to rub that the language was unparliamentary. Continuing, Sir Edward Carson asked 'whether the King had been advised of the effect of the guarantees upon Home Poile. . Mr. Winston Churchill, Home Secretary, replied that the King was acquainted with tho matters in dispute, among which Home Rule was one of the more important. The reply caused a sensation. Mr. Churchill added that it would be absurd to say that they made any secret of their intension to. use the machinery of the Parliament Bill for the passage of Homo Rule and other matters. He challenged Mr. Balfour to say that he would rerpl the Parliament Bill. Mr. Balfour immediately rose and announced that when the Unionists returned to' power they would repeal the Bill, but not without substituting a measure for reform of the House of Lords.

Mr. Churchill concluded by outlining the Government's amendments, including a new clause forbidding the extension of. the' life of a Parliament beyond five years, and also a provision enabling the Speaker to consult tho Chairman of the Ways and Means , Committee and the Chairman of tho Public Accounts Committee before deciding whether a Bill was a Money BiD. Sir J. H. Dalziel, Mr. Henderson, and other Radicals, angrily protested against this surrender to the "die-hards." . Mr. Lloyd-George,. Chancellor of tho Exchequer, explained that the proposed change was due to the Speaker not caring to assume the solo responsibility for the Commons. Finally, it was agreed that the Speaker should consult two members, < who were to be appointed each session from tho panel of chairmen. The amendment inserted at the instance of Lord Lansdowne in the Upper House, for instituting a referendum on the question of Home Eule, was rejected by 321 votes to 211. A-committee, consisting of Sir Eufus Isaacs (Attorney-General), Mr. Winston Churchill, Sir J. H. Dalziel, and. Mr. Hendersou, was appointed ;to .draw. ■• up ■ reasons for disagreeing with the proposed amendments made by the Lords. The debate was adjourned. LORDS , CENSURE DEBATE, / KING'S POSITION DEFINED, STATEMENT BY LORD CEEWE.

London, August 9. In tho House of Lords last evening, Lord Curzon of Kedleston moved tho following motion of censure:—"That tho action of the Government in obtaining a pledge for tho creation of Peers is ■ a gross violation of Constitutional liberty, precluding tho people from pronouncing on the question, of Home Rule for Ireland." In speaking to the motion, Lord Curzon echoed the arguments advanced by 3lr. Balfour in tho House of Commons, and denied that the amendments introduced by the Lords in the Parliament Hill had transformed tho Bill. Lord Crewe, Secretary of State for India, who replied for ths Government, met with a warm reception, this being his first appearance since his recent severe illness. After declaring the whole business odious to himself, ho explained that the Government looked forward to the crating of Peers with profound reluctance. He did not pretend that as a party they were all of one mind, but even if they were forced a number would be created. They would not be limit?- , by tho names of Peers included on the newspaper lists. ■ Explaining the circumstances of the interview with the King on November 15, Lord Crewe emphasised the King's natural and legitimate reluctance to allow the use of the Prerogative, and mixing the Crown in such a controversy. . Lord Haldane, Secretary for War, and the Earl of Selborne followed Lord Crewe, and tho Earl of Halsbury (ex-Lord Chancellor) delivered a vigorous denunciation of the Government's dealings with the Kins?. The debate closed with a speech from Hie Martinis of Lanedowne, Leader of.tho Opnrntion. Th" House divided, the voting b?ing:— For the motion 282 Against ..' gg ■■.Majority for 2U SPEECH BY LORD LANSDOWNE. LORD HALSBURY STILL OBDURATE. (Rec. August 11, 0.50 a.m.) London, August 10. During tho House of Lords censuro debate Lord I.ansdowne declared that if tho creation of Peers was odious to Lord Crowe, it was equally odious to the King, and the'' Government ought not to force his Majesty's hands merely out of petulancy and vindictiveness. Lord Halsbury declared emphatically that he would move tho rejection of the Bill on its, third reading, but he had assumed that Lord Lansdowne would stick to his amendments. He repudiated the idea that he had entered into a campaign against Lord Lansdowne, for whom ho had respect and even affection. The Archbishop of York .(Dr. Lang) said ho would support the Bill. The policy of insisting on the amendments was distasteful to the Sovereign and against the interests of tho House. >• Lord St. Aldwyn declared that ho would never vote to place the King in (ho cruel position of having to create an unlimited number of Peers. Tho division to-day on the Government's amendments to tho Parliament Bill will make clear the provisional order of Bills net to be included in the term "Public Bills." TUB ROYAL PREROGATIVE. London, August 9. It is believed that tho statement by

lord Crotvo emphasising tlio rclucfnnce of tho King to consent to use his Prerogative was ma do at his Majesty's special /"Vicst, after Lord ICnollys, tho King's Private. Secretary, had interviewed Lord Crowe, and Mr. Asquith. It is stated that King George was desirous of correcting (ho impression given by Air. Asqnith's speech in the Honso of Commons that, tho Oovernmcnt's projects hail proceeded inevitably and smoothly from first to last. RESISTANCE FUTILE. LORD\ LANSDOWNE'S VIEW. London, August D, Lord Lansdowne, Opposition Leader in tho House of Lords, states that ho is convinced that further insistence in opposition to tho Veto liill will bo unprofitable and detrimental to tho public interests, but he will not spare his efforts to roverso the Government's action in the future. A CORRUPT BARGAIN. HOME RULE AND THE VETO. London, August 9. During tho debate in the. Commons, Mr. Bonar Law (Unionist) declared that if he were an Irish loyalist ha would never consent to Homo Rule being forced upon him as part of a corrupt Parliamentary bargain. Mr. William O'Brien (Independent Nationalist)' believed that not only Home Rule, but the whole Constitutional cleavage, could be better dealt with by less belligerent and revolutionary methods. He saw years of bitter party warfare ahead of Ireland.