THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1911. THE PARLIAMENT BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10412, 5 September 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1911. THE PARLIAMENT BILL.

Tlhie 'action) of tibe Asquitili Gtovertnmenrt in, forcing the Veto Bill upon ■the British public has provoked bittor i-esiemtment from isoine .of the leading joumaia'ls of the Old Country. The London. "Times," oomimienting upon the decdsLom of Mr Asquith to ignore tine iaimemdimeaiitis of the House of Lord®, sayia:— "The' P!rim«e. Minister Ihiaa rtiiloaighib fiit to ignore with conrtem/pt the request mad© by Lord Lamstdowme that the Planliamenit Ball senit down- from .the Hloaiisie of Lords migjhit 'be it/neat ed in accordance with. [ tlhie oridiin&ry decencies of Piarliaimenttary Wianfare. He Was issued Ms ultimatum to itdiie Opposition Peers (without a /momamt's delay. In ;a letter to Mr Balfour, whlioh wias read \a<t the meeting of Opposition Peers ihield att Lanisdowne House, he 'brusquely isttaite9 -tihlaft the Government imtiend to crejeat the amendments of the Houise l of 'Lords to fthe Barilaimenrt Biil, and have obtained the King's oomsenit to exercise Ms Prerogative, if tlie necessity arises, an order ito ov-eroome further resistance. We confessi thlat this ourtrage—for an ouitnagie lit is—on the decencies of political life and of Oonisrfa/tutiomal usage justifies the utmost indignation. We deplore it 'because what is above all needed at this acute moment is coolmess. Thie temptation ito take the Government at their word has always been strong. We quote understand tflie attitude of those who urge it. Fhere is undoubtedly a isportding element about thie isfituation which appeals strongly to human roaifiuire. To et the Government face the very serious embarrassments involved in flieir own policy is an afcring pros>ect. It Would unquestionably cover htem with ridicule and infliot a modt tamaging blow to rtheir position.

Niovorrtli-aless we do not think that oourse wise or worthy of patriotic man, and the general tone of the meeting at Lansdowno House gives reason for believing that it will not be adopted. It is agreeable to "score" oif the enemy, of course; but the interests' are too weighty to permit of ithe gratification of that motive. Wo cannot Ihave the Britiidh Constitution- turned into 'a coimoopera .speicibtiole, even, for the .sake of discomfiting tin un'sc-rupulou.s and disingenuous Government. That miis-1 chief would he' irreparable, whereas t'he .sitta-t-e of dililtnga established by the Parliament Bill is ineeei&sia.riily transitory. its real object, as every one knows, is to keep the iNaitiionakists in ! a good ihumouir. Thai t® why the GoI viCinn>meii't is driven to reject all | amendments. To pick aind ciiooßS among them would too cleanly reveal the 'kind of Mr Redmond. And, 'after alll, XJniioniis.t& cannot complain if Mr Asquith proves the truth of the charge (that Hue' has ito "toe rtihe line" :a.t Mr Redmond's bidding. That is •the 'long vand .short oif 'the whole orisvis. Tine Government secured a majority at -tllie last election sufficient to give itihem power over itiliie Opposition, 'but not .sufficient ito make them masters in their own. house and enable ■tliieni ,to pursiu.e a istra-i g'htforward, •honest, and independent policy. i* f x Asq.uitih liais undeniably miade his>tory, but not history which will place lias nam'e high on' itihe roll of British statesmen-. He ha® played a contemptible part in subservience to an avowedly disloyal faction, and his present coup d'etat puts the seal on 'hi® dishonour.