THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 March 1923, Page 3

THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

AUSTRALIAN" AND N.Z. CAULK ASSOCIATION. BRITISH POLITICS. INTERESTIXG DISCISSIONS. ,Received this day at '.‘.30 a.in.) LONDON. March 20 Ron Hollar Law replying in the Commons, said ho hoped the list <>i subjects to he included ill the agenda of the Economic Conference would Le settled in consultation with the Dominion Governments, in time to allow <1 isousßion by Hu? interests eonluinetl in the various purls of the Empire before the Conference me!. The President of the Hoard of Trade had already iiitiniated on hohall o! Die Imperial Government that when the arrangements were settled he winild proceed to consult the represeniatires of commerce and industry in England. The conteiupla!ei| eoiiferenee would include representation ol tin* colonies and jiroteetorates. Lui the lonn ol representation Was not -el I led. Mr Snowden introduced a hill in the Commons providing tor the nationalisation of land, and abolition of priv property therein.

In the Lords, land Beauchamp in moving the second reading ol the bill introducing the alternative vole at Parliamentary elections, (Hunted out that the advent of a third party had completely changed the position. The Speakers Conference in llllli recommended proportional representation or where that was not .suitable, an alternative vote. He pointed out that the Government at the general election obtained only live millions out of thirteen million votes. A swing of the pendulum adding ten per cent to Labour and taking the same off the Conservative vote, would give Gabour as large a majority as Mr Honar Law’s. Lord Long opposed the hill, lie said it needed only a simple understandable system, which would give strong Governments with stable majorities. Lord Peel said be was not converted to the idea. Under Ihe proposed system there would be prodigious canvassing and log rolling. Government could not give time for a full discussion of the bill in the Commons, therefore the passage through the Lords would he profitless.

Viscount Grey was convinced a stable Government was not securable without introducing a. new voting system. Tt was possible for the present system to put in power an extremist Government, not possessing any real majority in the country. If so, the Government would regret its present negative attitude. Lord pointed out that many Italian Governments were, very short lived. Their instability was attributable to proportional representation. Government would give their best attention to the electoral reform resolution, but could not accept the bill. Lord Beauchamp witMrew (be Bill.