FRANCHISE BILL ABANDONED.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1660, 29 January 1913, Page 7

FRANCHISE BILL ABANDONED.

Legislative tangle. NEW WAY OUT. COMMITTEES TO TAKE CHARGE. By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright (Rec. January 2S, 11.45 p.m.) London, Jnnuary 28. The House of Commons was crowded today during tho discussion of the Franchise Bill. There was a force of 2000 police outside. ■

The Prime Minister, Mr. Asquith, said that the Speaker's ruling was unexpected. The Government had considered the point and believed that precedents justified their action. He denied any sharp practice, but said it would bo unreal to continue the' discussion of tho Grey amendment. The Government would proceed with the Electoral Reform Bill during tho present Parliament, and would give facilities for the'introduction of a private Women's Suffrage Bill next session.'

Mr. Asquith obtained.the Speaker's ruling that the Government's own amendments mado a substantially -new Bill, as the original measure had not purported to introduce a new class of elector. '. On this Mr. Asquith declared that it became a question whether to proceed.with the Bill, and add two million males to the electorate. 1 He thought, in'fairness to the women, the Bill'should be dropped. Only two courses remained: Either the Government ; should introduce a Women Suffrage Bill, which it could not do, or should grant facilities for a private Bill. ■■ Mr. Bonar Law, Leader of the Opposition, .absolved the Government of evading its pledges to tho women. Ho thought the suffragist cause would have a fairer opportunity with an independent Bill. He regretted that the collapse had deprived Mr. Xloyd-George of an opportunity of replying to Mr. Harcourt's attack on him. Mr. F. E. Smith (Unionist) suggested thrtt the suffragist supporters should form a committee and introduce a Bill, and act as a temporary exe'eutivo to ' pUot it through, while the opponents of women suffragoi similarly constitute a temporary opposition. . ' .

Mr.. Lloyd-George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Mr. Balfour, ex-Leader of tho Opposition, approved the suggestion, which would leave Ministers free to follow: their convictions. ■

: 'Sir Edward Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the Government, offered to allow the use of the guillotine to get. the measure through within the time available.

~Thb Labour members demanded tlurt a Government, measure should bo introduced.

SUFFRAGETTE PLANS. "SECRET AND GALLANT ONSLAUGHT." London, January 27. Mrs. Pankhvvrst, loader of the militant suffragettes, • ;speaking at the Pavilion Music Hall, called on volunteers to make a secret and gallant onslaught. Miss Annie Kelly advised the:shopkeepers to look out. The lives of the public, sho said, would 1m made impossible, '. ' A suffragette, was arrested . whilst attempting to damage a picture in St. Stephen's Hall,.at,.the Houses of' Parliament. ■; i '' i ,'-,';' •';*■". •'/,:'■ ',. fl / ...V;'.,-'. '<■; : During : 'a 'suffragette' demonstration \„at Trafalgar. Square there,.was a melee with' the police. Several women, were arrested.

• '■,• (Roc. January 28, 10.55 p.m.) London, January 28. The National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies declares that a private Bill will :be inadequate and only a Government measure will be acceptable!- ' * A meeting of the Women's Social and Political Union demanded the resignations ol Mr. - Lloyd-George and','Sir Edward Grey unless they compelled' the Cabinet 1 to introduce-' a Bill. ".Mrs. Pankhurst urged the fullest 'militancy short of injury^to human life. ■''~' At the -Women's Freedom League Mrs., Despard advocated, law-breaking in every wa Jy _ Miss Sylvia Pankhurst has been arrested in connection with the outrago in' St, Stephen's Hall, and Mrs. Despard has been arrested as the outcome of the Trafalgar Square melee.. ''< ' ' .*' ■ . ■

/ NEW FRANCHISE BILL. '' BAKER;BILL NOT TO BE TAKES'UT. (Ecc. ; January 28, 10.55 p.m.) ... . London, January 28. The Government will not adopt Mr. Harold Baker's Bill, but will introduce a new measure next session dealing with. registration,;.plurality, and redistribution. .: MR. BAKER'S BILL. '■■■ Mr. Harold Baker's.Plural Voting Bill was introduced in February of last year. The first clause of the Bill is drafted thus:

1—(1) A person shall not be registered as a _ Parliamentary elector except in a constituency in which ho'has a place-of abode,, unless, where he desires to bo so registered in some other .constituency, he proves either that ho has no right to bo .registered as a Parliamentary elector except in the constituency in 'which he so desires to be registered or that he has abandoned his right to bo registered as a Parliamentary elector in nil other constituencies in which he has such a right.

; (2) Where a person has o Dlaco of abode in two or more 'constituencies and objection is taken to the retention of his name to the list of Parliamentary electors of one of those constituencies on the ground that his name is included in the list of Parliamentary electors of another s"ch constituency, he shall not bo entitled to bo registered in the constituency where the objection is taken if it is proved that his name is so included in the list of Parliamentary electors for the other constitiir ency, and that he has not disclaimed his right to be registered in that constituency.

•', The other clauses deal with claims to be registered in a constituency other than a constituency of residence, general provisions as to claims to be registered, abandonment of right to be registered, and the application 'of the Act of Scotland and Ireland, The interpretation clause defines "constituency" as "any county, borough, or combination of places, other than . a University or combination of Universities, returning a member to serve in Parliament," nnd. where a county or borough is divided for the purpose of Parliamentary elections, it means a division of the county or borough so divided.