LORD WEMYSS AND THE OLD-AGE PENSIONS PETITION.
[TO TM{ EDITOn OP TUB " sescraroan
Sza,—The petitions re old-age pensions that are now being signed Were to be presented by me to the House of Lords. I regret that I am unable to do this, as I find that the concluding sentence of the petition assumes, and accepts, the second reading of the Bill. This is, I am told, due to the belief that the Lords will not have the courage to defer the second reading until the nation has before it the Report of the Royal Commission that has for three years been sitting on the existing Poor Law. Having myself a higher opinion of the courage of the Lords and of their practical good sense in the matter of public duty, I intend to persevere with my Motion on the second reading of the Bill, and invite their Lord- ships to affirm "That, pending the Report af the Royal Commis- sion now inquiring into the principles and working of the existing roor Law, it would be unwise to enter upon the consideration of a Bill establishing the far-reaching principles of State old-age [The petition which Lord Wemyss finds it impossible to present, as it does not, in his opinion, go far enough, will be presented by Lord Avebury.—En. Spectator.]
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