25 JUNE 1927, Page 2

It is satisfactory that the Speaker is to be relieved

of the sole duty of deciding what is a Money Bill. Mr. Asquith never pretended that that makeshift arrangement ought to be perpetuated. It is not fair to anyone, least of all to the Speaker. The proposal of a Joint Standing Committee has the strong sanction of the Commission over which the liberal-minded Lord Bryce presided. It must not be -supposed, however, that such a sanction will stifle the objections of Liberals to-day. They will say that the House of Lords ought to have nothing whatever to do with the decision and, further, that the representation of the Upper. House on the Joint Committee would generally be " Conservative ." in character, whereas the House of Commons would neces- sarily be represented by all parties. Possibly there might be some better court of judgment than a Joint Committee, but we do not know what would be more fair on the whole.

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