THE LORDS AND THE PEOPLE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 189, 19 November 1910, Page 5

THE LORDS AND THE PEOPLE

MR. BALFOUR AT NOTTINGHAM. ADVOCACY OF TARIFF REFORM. THE UNIONIST PROGRAMME. By Cable —Press Association —Copyright. Received 18, 10.20 p.m. London, November IS. Mr. Balfour, addressing the National Union of Conservative Associations at Nottingham, had a stirring reception. Many members of the House of Commons and Parliamentary candidates were present. The audience was composed entirely of men. Mr. Balfour spoke for an hour and a-half. He declared that Tariff Reform was still the great constructive policy of the Unionists. If it involved a burden on wage-earners, he would not touch it. If it increased the cost of bread, compensation would be given in regard to tea and sugar. "We are trying the dominions too highly in deferring inde-1 finitely our response to the preference they have so gladly and generously given," eaid Mr. Balfour. Had the Unionists at the Veto Conference agreed to the only terms whereon terms were possible they would liave betrayed their cause. Mr. Balfour nest expounded the Unionist proposals in regard to the land, navy and licensing laws. The Unionists •would be false to their traditions if they did not extend the workmen s insurance—■which would ever be associated with Mr. Joseph. Chamberlain—to other forms of industrial misfortune.

MR. BALFOUR'S UPPER HOUSE REFORM. "GOVERNED BY LOG-ROLLING FACTIONS." THE PEOPLE AS SUPREME ARBITER. Received 18, 10.50 p.m. London, November 18. Mr. Balfour continued: "The Second Chamber should be diminished in number, and include persons who had qualified by public service, also a pre-elected element which would carry on the traditions of the House of Lords. Another element should represent the movements and ideas and great bodies, of external public opinion. Those should be of an equal number to the peers, sitting by right of their services or election by their fellows. Amicable conferences or joint sittings could deal with deadlocks, and the supreme arbiter should be the people. The Government was going to destroy the contitution by obedience to the will of American subscribers. "Redmond is the conqueror who squeezes terms from the conquered. If party Government has brought us "to that declaration, then the party system has broken down, and we are no longer selfgoverning, but governed by log-rolling factions who care nothing about the Empire or the country."

LORD ROSEBERY'S 'PHANTOM SCHEMJE." "A LOT OF US WILL HAVE TO GO." LORD LANSDOWNE SUPPORTS LORD ROSEBERY. Received 8, 9.50 pjn. London, November 18. Speaking in the House of Lords, Lord Rosebery declared that the principles contained in his resolutions would to a large extent solve the constitutional problem without the convusions of continuous elections. The differences between the Houses were capable of settlement by conferences and a referendum, the latter in acute cases. Lord Courtney of Penwith declared that the scheme was such a phantom that it was hardly to be grasped by any rational man. Lord Selborne held that the reforms were bona fide, and there were no mentxl reservations. It was impossible for onehalf of the public to coerce the other, lwt the Government was unable to settle the question by their own ideas alone. Lord Newton said: "The melancholy fact is that a lot of us will have to go." Lord Lansdowne declared that he was prepared to support Lord Rosebery's scheme. He attached great importance to the nominations by the Government ol the day. It would mean the mitigation of the disparity of strength of the two parties. Lord Crewe said that until the Liberals had a voice in the framing of legislation the discussion of details of the reform of the House of Lords was futile.

The Chronicle says it would afford the Liberals profound satisfaction if the Budget were passed before the dissolution, and adds: "It depends upon Mr. Asquith's announcement as to how the ](ish will vote on the Budget." Mr. J. D. Reese, a member of the House of Commons, has seceded from the liberals because the leaders were attempting to rush the Single Chamber aAI Home Rule proposals.

LORD ROSEBERY'S RESOLUTIONS. THE FIRST ADOPTED. Received IS, 10.50 p.m. London, November 18. Lord Roseberv's first resolution, cabled on April 14, was carried without division. The second was not discussed, tyit w*s withdrawn, on the ground that it was too detailed. The first resolution is as follows: —■ That a strong and efficient Second Chamber, an inteatal part of the Constitution, i- necessary for the wellbeing of the State and the balance of Parliament. V *•» - - *

l '~ labor and socialism. COMMONS WILL DERATE THE . BUDOET. Berlin. November 17. The Socialist newspaper Yorwarts attacks Mr. D. J. Shackleton for joining the Liberal bureaucracy and other Laborites for accepting posts in the Labor Exchanges. The British Labor movement.

it expresses tlie hope that these deserters are only making room for younger so-ciaiistioally-minded elements. Another result of the Premier's interview with the Kin.' is that the House of Commons will discuss the Budget while the Lords are debating the Veto. The Scottish National Committee of the House of Commons resolved that Home Rule for Scotland was an essential elements of constitutional reform. The final settlement must include national self-government. The Premier promises an important pronouncement at the National Liberal Club on Saturday. It is announced that Lord Crewe will move the second reading of the Veto Biil on Monday. The Lords are discussing Lord Rosebery's reform resolutions. The National Union of Conservatives, at a meeting at Nottingham, approved Lord Lansdowne's action in favor of reform by the exclusion of the hereditary element. Resolutions also approved fiscal reform, including colonial preference, small ownership of land, unalterable opposition to Home Rule, and a modification of the licensing duties. They also condemned the abandonment of the two-Power standard for the Navy. Mr. Samuel, speaking at Dublin, said that if war occurred under Home Rule all round, how could Ireland and Wales be compelled to contribute in the absence of an Imperial Executive. Had there been a Welsh Parliament led by Mr. Lloyd-George at the time of the Boer War it would, like the Irish Parliament under Mr. Dillon, have refused to contribute one penny.

UNIONISM " PLAYED OUT." Sydney, November IS. Mr. Hodge, a visiting member of the House of Commons, says that in England they realise that unionism without political action is played out. The only remedy for the Taff Vale and Osborne judgments was to revolt and defy the law.