TWO HOME RULE BILLS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2148, 14 May 1914, Page 5

TWO HOME RULE BILLS

MR. ASQUITH PROPOSES AMENDMENTS BUT HE SATISFIES NOBODY 1 ] NATIONALIST LEADER CHIDES Till j GOVMM j . UPROAR IN THE COMMONS 1 By TdiigraDfe—Press AeooeiaiiM-Cowrislv (Roe. May 14, 0.10 a.m.) i London, May 13. In the House of (Joinsnons to-day Air Asquith, the Prime Minister, mows! ths resolutions abolishing the UoMimittet • stages of the Home Itulo Bill, the Wclsl .Disestablishment Bill, »»d the l'litra 1 Voting Bill. No suggestion stage was provided. Sir. Asquith said that it would h<: futile to spend time on a suggestion stago when the House of Lords was go- ! ing to reject the measures. 'Die Gov--1 eminent would introduce a Bill anitad; ' ing the Homo Rate measure, and hopei that it would he passed by agreement. The Bills would become law practical!} simultaneously. Continuing, Mr. Asquith said that the Opposition's attitude was one ol unwavering hostility. if there- was to bo sumothiiig in the nature of ( an i agreed settlement, that some-thing must bo accomplished through an amending Bill to tile Home Rule Bill, tie asked for tho third 'reading of the Homo liule Bill before Whitsuntide, after- which the Government would introduce the amending Bill cither in the House of Lords, or in the House -of Commbns—ho had not decided which. A Surprise PaeHst, This announcement manifestly surprised Air. Redmond (the Nationalist leader). Air. Asquith, proceeding, said that the suggestions which had been put down for the Welsh Church Disestablishment .'Bill, would entirely reconstruct that Bill. There was not one which the Government could accept, so why waste time in academic discussion ? They could insert amendments in the liotiso of Lords, and the Government would allow full discussion of these oil tho return of the Bill to the House of Commons. Mr. W. G. C. Gladstone (Liberal) resented tho denial by the Goverßir.cnt of a suggestion stage on tho Welsh Church Disestablishment Bill. The Government* he said, was not carrying out the spirit or intention of the Parliament Act. Air. Bonar L-.jw (the Unionist LeaScrt said that befofe tho Horn" Ilvilo Bill was read a third time tlia House should know what the Government's proposed amendments wore. Tho only hope of peace lay in the Government's influence with the Irish Nationalists, and tho latter would ho less willing to make concessions alter the third reading. Mr. Lloyd Ceargs Creates Uproar. Mr. A. J. Balfour (Unionist) said that if the Government were submit-ting'-iire 'Amending BiJ?,. the implication was'that thd. qtlkbrlM 'Was defective. Air. Lloyd George (Chancellor of the Exchequer): "If every offer put forward by tho Government is to he -so treated, then that is the way to promote civil war." (Uproar, which lasted for two mintitPs; with cries of You are a disgrace to the country!") Air. Balfour, continuing, sard that the abandonment of .tho snggestionstace was a reversal of the policy which Air. Asquith bad rctojfiijionded when ho introduced 'the Parliament Act, Tho Government now admitted that after tho Bill had run tho gauntlet for three years, it ttas unable to place it on Die Statute Book. It liod to he amended, but n{> aniondrtteHt vvlji-rh left in the Bill a provision for n .Dublin eso. cutive, could receive the Opposition's support. He hogged the Government to defer the third, reading of the main i'lil until iliO I'loiASfi SCOIt (flO terms of tho anieftdii-ig Bill. Air. Lloyd George said that the Government did not admit-that the Bill was defective Init had „„ amending Bill because it. was pj-cparod to go to tha utmost limit in rise wav of concession, in order to avoid a civil 1 disturbance. t<.» those oono-scd to the' measure. The Chancellor. wh.-> admitted that tho proposals would he those which Mr. Asquith had already in ado for a settlement, said that the amending Bill would only deal with tho of : Ulster by a, p»]l, and would not deal 1 with the Customs. Mf. Redmond. ' i Air. Redmond sai.i that tho Government had r<*flived another lesson on tho inevitable effect of malting advances to J tho Opposition, Every advance would lead to increased bitterness aiid recriminations. It was the Opposition's duty to place on the Order Paper suggestions for peace. He was glad that'Sr. Asquith would take the" third reading before Whitsuntide. Tile Bill would become law, despito the Opposition, jii a few weeks, and they would see tho triumph of the Nationalistcause. If «. pcei fill solution failed, and an .amending Bill were introduced;' ho held himself free to deal with it. _ ThA Nationalists, iii tlie interests of peace, had run great political risks among tiurir own people by agreeing to concessions, hut Im# would not commit his p.«riy to any amending Bill. Msilofi Safrietf. An amendment by Sir Arthur GriffitliBoscawen (Unionist), to the effect thnt the remaining stages of the Home Rtilo and Welsh Church Disestablishment Bills bo deferred until tho Government had been gim> an opportunity of dis- j cussing suaeretioris, was rejected hv ■ 293 votes "to 217. All*. Asquith*® motion Was carried by 27G votes to !!?■'[. PRESS COMMENT. {Roc. Slay 14, 0,1-5 a.m.) London, May 13. Tlie "Um'y Chronicle" (Liberal) says that Air. Asqnith's declaration has ere-? ated parhirbatioi't among the Nationalists, without propitiating the Opposition, and has imparted no inspiriting effect on the Government supporters. "Tho declaration was x strategic mistake in the present stage," adds the "Chronicle." Tho "Morning Post" (Unionist) observes that many Unionists will regard tho Government's' new move ais a device to gain time. They do not believe that « settlement is now possible. NATIONAUSTS SURPRISED. AIR. REDMOND DECLARES HIMSELF. Lcntion, May V 2. Afr. Asquilh's jMiumueement thnt lie would introduce an nmnndmg Bill, even if efforts at a peaceful solution failed, has surprised the Nationalists. .Mr. Redmond declared that be could not approve of an amending Bill unless there was a peaceful solution. Ik ; refused to commit the Nationalists. MAGHINE guns landed. DESTROYERS AGAIN ELCDKD. ionthflti May 12. Tho Belfast "Eclw'' (ihi'ionisU nssorts that a eiadiug the destroyers :

J on the- wast of North-East Ulster, laudJ i eel tWMJty inacfiinc guns, vhich tlie volunteers are conivying inbnd. SCOTTISH HOME RULE. '■BILL PROVIDES FOR' WOMEN'S ■''. > ■ - - VOTE. ■ - London. 3t<iy 12. Tlie fieoltisli Liberals in tho House of Commons have decided to include a proI vision for women's franchise iu the Scotj titili Homo Jiiilo Hill.