HOME RULE BILU.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1586, 1 November 1912, Page 5

HOME RULE BILU.

ELECTION OF THE SENATE, PR6PORTIONAL REPRESENTATION. By TeloeraDn—Press Association—OoDyrtelit ■':," ■ London, October 30." In the disoussion of VII of ;the Homo Eule Bill in'" the House of• Commons, Sir Edward CaTSon, the Irish Unionist leader, said with reg&Td' "to the amendment to abolish the Lord-Lieuten-ant's veto, that he did not fear grossly imjust.legislation by an Irish Parliament; what he feared was unjust administra- ■ tion , by. connivance at foul play or refnoing to set the law in jnotion : to protect minorities.'. ;: f. .: '■ ■. '.':"'■■..■•'■ The House is now considering Clause. VIII, dealing., with-'the. Senate. It provides:—"(l) The' Irish Senate shall consist of forty Senators nominated as -respects the first ; Senators by the' Lord Lieu- , tenant, subject to any instructions given ■by his Majesty-in respect.of the,nomination, and afterwards by,the Lord Lieutenant on the advice o£ the' Executive Committee..', ■' :, ■■. ■■:. ,: . ' ■-.' '-. ■ "(2) The term of office of every Senator shall be eight years, and shall not be affected by a dissolution; one : fourth of.the .Senators shall retire hi every'second year, and their seats shall.be filled by a netv 'nomination.. .., ,;.'-/• :'■. • ■. ... '~' . : 'f(S) If the place'of a Senator becomes vacant before the expiration of.'his term, of office, the Lord Lieutenant' jshallj' unless the place becomes, vacant not more than six,months before .the expiration '.of.that term'of office, nominate a Senator in the stead of the; Senator, whoso place is.vacant, -but,, any'senator so, -nominated to fill avacaney shall hold office oily so, long as"the Senator/in whose stead.iie is nowinated would have held office." ■.-.The Prime ''Minister'; Mr. Asquith,. announced that, the .Government had. de'ter- ■■ mined that it was best .for the Imperial Parliamont to nominate the first Senate, with representation'of the minority, afterwards applying the principle of propor;tiohal Te'presentatiori • to the recruitment of the Senate. .;:...," ... ; : \i /THE 'FIRST-SENATE.' ~: : : - : . REPEESBNTATION OP THE PBO-.■;v'-:-.:;:-':-'..:--,hyiNCBS;>V-:..:.;.\;v-'.:, ; ■■:•; :' (Rec, Ocober 31,1-11'.Sfi p.m;) ;.';.. ■','/•;■:■■'■■ London, October. 31. ■ The Government proposes that the .first Irish. Senate shall serve' for a; quinquennium, and that the .election'thereafter shall • be ,on. the .basis of proportional representation,.'■ ; .■:...■''::..•;: ■. ■' .:,; j'. ■■ ■'■'■ Ulser wiil, havo v;fourteen . Senators, Leinster eleven,-Munster nine, and Connaught 'six.'"' ';■•■' ,:,.'-. • • •.■■'.The '.Irish .TJnioniGts. :are dissatisfied; .and contend, that .even.'if all the Senators are Unionists; they, will be'hopelessly outnumbered in joint sittings; ; ;";■. : ; Mr.'Eamsay: Macdonald, Leader, of the Labour, party,: declares that the. experiment > is. a .mistake. -If proportional : . iftrpesenfeitiion! is justified it, ought:, to .be applicable.'to-the. first Senate.. ■■'..' ;