In the House of Lords on Thursday, the Local Government
Bill was considered in Committee, and many amendments were passed, some probably that the Lords will insist upon, -others that they will not insist upon when the Commons dis- agree with them, for instance, Lord Balfour of Burleigh's amendment, of which it was the object to confine register of voters under the Bill to persons who them- selves pay the rates, and to exclude those who, under the Parliamentary register, are qualified either as lodgers or as servants. The amendment was carried by only 112 to 89, and was opposed by the Duke of Devon- shire, who pointed out that it had been discussed in the Lower House, and that "it was not supported by any consider- able number of the Conservatives in that House." So far as he could judge, the only persons whom Lord Balfour of Burleigh's amendment would exclude from the register would be the owners. We strongly suspect that the House of Lords does not want to wreck the Bill, and that they are prepared to give way on not a few of their amendments.
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