ANIMATED DEBATE. THE VETO BILL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 94, 22 April 1911, Page 5

ANIMATED DEBATE. THE VETO BILL.

GOVERNMENT WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY AMENDMENT. "IMPOSSIBLE TO DISCRIMINATE.'i . | By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright, LONDON, 21st April. In the debate on the Veto Bill an amendment by Mr. G. Cave (Unionist member for the Kingston Division o£ Surrey), with tho object of making clause 2 only operative after a dissolution, and providing that Home Rule, Church Disestablishment, and licensing reform be first approved by the 'electors,, was defeated by 222 to 136. There was another animated debat© on a proposal that the clause should be inoperative in. the case, of Bills extending over the duration of a Par. liament. This was rejected by 235 to 150. Mr. Asquitb, Prime Minister, said there were many amendment* on the order paper, and to save trouble 'ho wished to make it clear that tile Government would not accept any. It was im- | possible to discriminate between tße' constitutional and other changes. The Government would want machinery,' among other things, in order to givct effect to Home Rule for Ireland, an<J iti was ridiculous to expect th.& GoVerittnfcnts to impose- a self-denying ordinance. Mr. Balfour, Leader of the Opposition, 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. PRESS OPINIONS. "A ONE-CHAMBER MAN." j " STRONG ATTITUDE." ! (Received April 22, 9 a.m.) i LONDON, 21st April. Tha Unionist press says that Mt»., Asquith'e flat refusal to 'exclude anything from the scope of the Veto Bill' stamps him as a one-Chamber man, and' .blows a.way tho pretences with which ■ Lord Haldane and Sir Edward Grey, salved their constitutional consciences. Tho Liberal newspapers commend Miv Asquith's strong attitude in his endeavour to secure fair play for Liberal legislation.