27 NOVEMBER 1909, Page 12

THE HOUSE OF LORDS AND MONEY BILLS.

[To THE EDITOR Or THE "SPECTATOR.") SIR,—On the first page of last week's Spectator you remark : "Even if the present Government were to have a great and unexpected victory, and were to come back practically as strong as when they went to the country, the very worst that could happen would be that we should be face to face with the fact that the country had declared that the House of Lords had no right to reject a Money Bill."

I think your conclusion unwarranted. The only legitimate conclusion is that the country desired the same party as before to be in power. At the utmost the country die. approved of the rejection of that particular Bill. To say that if ever the House of Lords (which is no more infallible than the House of Commons) makes a mistake it shall never exercise its judgment on similar issues again appears to me absurd. It is as though one were to say :- " Here you have a powerful gun. You may fire it. If the shot, hits the mark, well and good ; but if not, you shall never fire the gun again."—I am, Sir, &e.,