The Daily News FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18. LORDS AND THE PEOPLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 303, 18 December 1908, Page 2

The Daily News FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18. LORDS AND THE PEOPLE.

The Premier of England, as was to be expected, has invited the members of the .National Club, and through ihein the people of England as a whole, "'.O treat the veto ot the House of Lords as the dominating issue." The Tory L'arly. although discredited iu the opinion of the electors of the county, although drivt'u from the direction and the administration of alVair*, still, through the mcdiumship of the House of Lords, cxeivise a controlling power iu all matters ot legislation. There arv the two great parties in the State, aud one of them has the power of one of the three great estates of the realm at :'s back. Manifestly this is unfair. Tho House of Lords is in a position to public opinion, and too often it does it. ! u the supposed interest of the Tory Pany in the Lower House it has lateiy been seeking to force the Liberal Government to dissolve the. House of Comlmoiis, aud the Premier of England 'would not be true to his high position "if he failed to properly resent the interference of an irresponsible body. The responsible members of the popular chamber should not be liable to punishment at the hands of an irresponsible House of Lords.

1 (.Mr. Asquilh has indicated that the weapon to be used against the impractical upper chamber is finance, and lie has asked the country to look to the next Budget as the flaming sword of the Liberal Government's armory. Finance is a very powerful aud flexible weapon. The injury to the interests of any people by a refusal ot supplies can 'scarcely be measured. Although i:i England the last Budget showed the revenue to be buoyant, yet the spending «f some seven or eight millions on old;v.re pensions and the enforced building of a number of Dreadnoughts will compel the Liberal (iovcrninenl. to look about for additional sources oi revenue. There is an absolute, abundance of Uveal 111 in the motherland, and that wealth can, and must, be made to pay. There are the landed estates unused, 'there are the moors devoted to the pleasures of the wealthy, there are other sources, and without iu any way touching Hie gvisit industrial interests money tan br. fuund, and it will have to be found. Therefore. Mr. Asi[uith directs the attention of the people to next 'Budget. The sword of finance will nc presented to the. Lords iu the form of the Appropriation Bill. Will they venture to throw it out'/ If they do, then they will put themselves in opposition ■to every section of the community except their own very limited following. It is all very well for a few Tories to Start howling, as they are already doing, hut the will of the people must be respected. No upper chamber can be long 'permitted to stand as an absolute Carrier to the advancement of the people. Truly, it would seem that there are exceedingly lively times in store for politicians in the motherland.