Reform of the Lords

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 191, 22 November 1910, Page 5

Reform of the Lords

LORD IIOSEBERY'S REFORM SCHEME CRITICISED.

MR. ASQUITII'S SPEECH.

By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright, London, November 2U.

Mr. Asquith's speech at the National Liberal Club went on as follows: —lhe Tories were determined not to face the elections with the incubus of the Lords on their back, and something called a Second Chamber with a coat of thin democratic varnish must be substituted constituting a nebulous body of uncertain size and undefined proportions of hereditary peers, officially qualified peers, and others chosen by somebody, somewhere, somehow. The Opposition expected the country to vote for what to all intents and purposes was a ghost. The Government's plan created immediately a workable instrument to settle deadlocks. It was the only plan before the country which even pretended to meet the urgent necessities of the case. Great social and economic ideals could not wait, therefore he asked for a renewal of confidence, and with united forces and disciplined energy the Liberals would make the lowest step of their lifetime lor the real enfranchisement of the people.

Mr. Asquith did not mention Home Bule.

CONCENTRATION OF ENERGIES.

London, November 20.

The Nationalist Liberal Federation programme was revised at the conference ■which is being held at Hull. Various resolutions were dropped, and it was proposed to concentrate the entire business on the single issue of the Lords. Sir Edward Grey, in a letter dealing •with the Berwick election, declared that it is necessary to impress the Opposition ■with the need of yielding.

In the House of Lords Lord Balfour of Burleigh gave notice of a resolution in favor of a referendum in the event of an irreconcilable difference springing up between the two houses.

Lord Heneage gave notice of a resolution uning the redistribution of seats in Great Britain and Ireland.

" GOVERNMENT STANDS FOR THE PEOPLE."

A FORCEFUL SPEECH.

London, November 20.

Mr. Masterman, M.P., Under-Secretary to the Home Office, speaking at Stratford, said that the coming campaign would be short and severe. The Government stood for the people, first and last and all the time. The Lord 9 saw the writing on the wall. They disliked allusions to peers who became bankrupt, married actresses, or brought more money than Mr. Redmond into the country and therefore said: "Let us remove those unhappy people from the House and only have sound, democratically-minded,- popularly approved people like Lords Milner and Curzon." (Laughter). Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, in a ktter published in Leicester, says: "This is no time for squabbling over the second election. We must close our ranks for the final contest over the veto question."

STATEMENT BY MR. REDMOND.

THE OSBORNE JUDGMENT.

Received 21, 9.30 p.m. London, November 21

Mr. Redmond, in a statement in the Press, declared that the dissolution had come unexpectedly. The time for preparing for the elections was short. The Irish Nationalist Directory would be summoned at the earliest moment to arrange the best policy of dealing with the emergency.

Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, in a letter to Mr. Balfour, re-echoing his Nottingham speech as embodying great national and Imperial reforms, wishes him success in his fight for free Unionist progress. The Times states that Mr. Asquith will announce to-morrow the Government's policy of the reversal of the Osborne judgment, qualified only by the stipulation that a pledge is exacted from the Laborite that it is not to be enforced.

PLATFORM UTTERANCES.

Received 21, II p.m. London, November 21

Mr. Keir Hardie, speaking at Bradford, said he had read Mr. Asquith's speech in order to find justification for the dissolution, and the only reason assigned was the failure of the Veto Conference with the Tories. In his opinion the election ■was intended to hang up the Lords question until after the Coronation. Unless the Osborne judgment was reversed the 7«bor Party would oppose the Liberals in seventy-eight constituencies. Mr. F. T. B. Money-Coutts, Liberal candidate for East Hampshire in 1906. has seceded from the party, as he considers there is no room in present politics for a moderate Liberal and Free-trader.

THE FEELING IN IRELAND. MR. ASQUITH'S AVOIDANCE OF HOME RULE. Received 21. 11 p.m. London. November 21. There is much comment in Ireland at Mr. Asquith's silence on the question of Home Rule in his Saturday's speech. Critics remark that unless farther light is forthcominc Mr. O'Brien will be greatly strengthened. Thev are readv to declare that guarantees have not been obtained. and that Mr. Redmond received no definite promise as regards the Home Rule Bill: and th- only certainly if the Liberals are returned is the passing the Budzet, which is unpopular practically with all dashes in Ireland.