REFORM OF THE LORDS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 260, 24 March 1911, Page 5

REFORM OF THE LORDS

THfe UNIONIST PtAS. THE REFERENDUM FAVORED. ■ By Cable —Press Association —Copyright. Received 23, 9.10 p.m. London, March 23. Lord Selborne, continuing his speech regarding the reform of the Lords, explained the working of the referendum, and referred to the satisfactory results that had been obtained from its working in Australia. It was idle to say the principle was inapplicable to the difficulties arising in Britain. The whole object of the referendum was to make sure that the majority, and not the minority in temporary possession, approved of the. changes. Liberals dreaded the referendum. It was, however, the only cure for log-rolling and the glaring inequalities at present existing. There was room for reasonable compromise over the problem when the referendum was applied. He concluded by urging a national settlement of the constitutional struggle. The Opposition, Lord Selborne declared the previous day, intended to propose, in conjunction with two move, the following methods of selecting the members of the Upper House: 1. Election by county councils. 2. Qualification by office. 3. Selection by the hereditary peers. 4. Nomination by the- Prime Minister. The Unionists also proposed that the House of Lords should definitely renounce any concern in finance, but that strict provision should be made against tacking extraneous matter to finance Bills. Disputes as to "tacking" would be ready to refer to the decision of a committee composed of an equal number of members of both Houses, the Speaker presiding.