REFORMING THE LORDS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 347, 24 March 1910, Page 5

REFORMING THE LORDS.

. LORD IIOSEBERY'S RESOLUTIONS. IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE ADMITTED By Cable.—Preas Association.—-Copyright Received March 23, 10.50 p.m. London, March 23. The House of Lords, by 175 to 17, agreed to Lord Rosebery's third resolution as follows.—"That a necessary preliminary to reconstruction of the House of Lords is the acceptance of the principle that the possession of a Peerage no longer of itself gives tflie right to sit and vote in the House of Lords." Lord Halsbury and Lord Wemyss acted as tellers for the noncontents. Earl Crewe (Secretary of State for the Colonies) stated that some such motion was necessary as a preliminary to any reform of the Lords' constitution. Although the Government intended to deal first with the relations of the two Houses, it had never abandoned the question of reform. . Lord Rosebery suggested that the House of Lords should consider the further resolutions after Easter, with a view to laying down the broad principles upon which reform should proceed, but it was the business of the Government to introduce a Bill.

• [The other resolutions referred to are —(1) That a strong and efficient Second Chamber, an integral part of the Constitution, is necessary for the well-being of the State and the balance of Parliament; (2) that such a Chamber can best be obtained by the reform and reconstruction of the House of Lords.]