IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 238, 13 February 1911, Page 5

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

REFORM OF THE LORDS. By Cable —Press Association —Copyright. London, February 10. The Westminster Gazette declares that the House of Lords dropping reform implies a significant cooling process. The Times says that the Unionist leaders in the House of Lords do not consider it desirable to introduce a Bill embodying their reforms. MR. BALFOUR ANNOYED. London, February 10. Mr. Asquith's reference to imposture caused Mr. Balfour hotly to retort that the Prime Minister's epithet did not merely accuse Home politicians of imposture but associated with tlie'm every great party in every great self-govern-ing colony. The imposture was earnestly pressed on the Prime Minister by Sir Wilfrid Laurier when they were face to face during the latter's visit to London, and was deliberately rejected. RIGHT TO WORK. London, February 10. The Right to Work amendment to the Address-m-Reply was rejected by 225 votes to CD. Mr. John Burns, President of the Local Government Board, 'said that the Government would not accept the Bill, as it assumed that unemployment was a simple and single issue and could be met by a single principle. The Government believed that the Bill was inapplicable to the complex existing evils of unemployment, and the measure would do the unemployed more harm than good. THE FISCAL AMENDMENT. London, February 10. On the division on the fiscal amendment the O'Brienites abstained from voting, but the Laborites and Nationalists voted with the Government. On previous votes on fiscal questions the Nationalists had always abstained from voting. - • ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. London, February 10. . Mr. Lewis Harcourt, replying to Mr. Butcher, member for York, said (that, when the Declaration of London is forwarded to the Dominions they will not be invited to express their views. Replying to Lord Beresford, Mr. MeKenna said his endorsement of the Naval Prize Bill had not been appended with the knowledge and concurrence of the Admiralty.

WOMEN'S FRANCHISE. A LUCKY DRAWING. Received 12, 5.5 p.m. London, February 11. Sir G. Kemp, Liberal member of the House of Commons, secured the first place among private Rills, with one conferring the franchise on women, exclusively on the line of householder qualification, of which Lord Roberts gave notice of motion in November. HOME RULE AND THE VETO. Received 13, 12.30 a.m. London, February 12. Mr. Malcolm, M.P., a Unionist, has given notice for Wednesday to move an amendment to the Address-in-Replv that all effective debate of the veto is seriously hampered bv the obscure and conflicting declarations by Ministers relating to Home Rule, which he openly avowed was one of the main reasons for altering the constitution. ANOTHER MODE OF SELECTION. Received 13, 12.20 a.m. London, February 12. The Pall Mall Gazette states that a scheme which retains the predominance of hereditary privileges would be advocated under the greatest disadvantages, and suggests a uniform principle of selection, cither by election by large constituencies with proportional representation, or bv municipalities. CONSERVATIVES MUST SWALLOW THE PILL. Received 13. 12.58 a.m. London, February 12. Mr. Masterman, speaking at Stratford, Essex, said that the Parliament Bill would follow immediately the Ad-dress-in-Roplv. He added that the conservatives must swallow the pill, however hitter, for the Bill was going to pass the Lords whether they liked it or not. He hoped it would become law before the Coronation.