IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 284, 24 April 1911, Page 5

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

THE VETO BILL DEBATE. MR. ASQUITII AS A SINGLE CHAMBER MAN. 'By cable.—Press Association.—Copyright London, April 21, The Unionist papers say tnat Mr. Asquith's flat refusal to exclude anything from the scope of the Veto Bill stamps him as a one-chamber man and blows away the pretences with which Lord Haldane and Sir Edward Grey salved their constitutional consciences. Liberal papers commend Mr. Asquith's strong attitude to secure fair play for Liberal legislation. AN UNOPPOSED ELECTION. London, April 21. Captain Guest, who had to se»k reelection owing to his appointment as Junior Lord of the Treasury, will be unopposed. THE TEXT OF CLAUSE 2. Clause 2 of the Veto Bill, which is under discussion, is as follows: (1) If any Bill other than a Money Bill is passed bv the House of Commons in three successive sessions (whether in the same Parliament or not), and, having been sent up to the House of Lords at least one month before the end of the session, is rejected by the House of Lords in each of those sessions, that Bill shall on its rejection for the third time by the House of Lords, unless the House of Commons direct to the contrary, be presented to his Majesty and become an Act of Parliament on the Royal Assent being signified thereto, notwithstanding that the House of Lords has not consented to the Bill. Provided that this provision shall not take effect unless two years have elapsed between the date of the first introduction of the Bill in the House of Commons and the date on which it passes the House of Commons for the third time. (2) A Bill shall he deemed to be rejected by the House of Lords if it is not passed by the House of Lords either without amendment or with such amendments only as may be agreed to by both Houses. .(3) A Bill shall be deemed to be the same Bill as a former Bill sent up to the House of Lords in the preceding session if, when it is sent up to the House of Lords, it is identical with the former Bill or contains only such alterations as are certified by the Speaker of the House of Commons to be necessary owing to the time which has elapsed since the date of the former Bill, or to represent amendment* which have been made by the House of Lords in the former Bill in the preceding session. Provided that the House of Commons may, it it think fit, on the passage of such a Bill through tho House in the second or third session, suggest any further amendments without inserting the amendments in the Bill, and any such suggested amendments shall be considered by the House of Lords, and if ngreed to by that House shall be treated as amendments made by the House of Lords and agreed to by the House of Commons; but the exercise of , this power by the House of Commons shall not affect tne operation of this section in the event of the Bill being rejected by the House of Lords.