Lord Rosebery was followed by the Lord Chancellor, who drew
the attention of the House to the Commons' Resolution of 1678 with reference to the respective rights and privileges of the Lords and Commons in regard to money Bills. The Bill, he declared, was in the strictest sense a money Bill. He went on to express the belief that the Commons would regard as an interference with their privileges any amendments which in substance either increased or diminished the charge, or which affected the conditions upon which the money was spent. Some of the clauses relating to machinery might be outside privilege ; but it was his duty in accordance with precedent to state that, in his opinion, Lord Cromer's amendment, limiting the operation of the Bill to seven years, would certainly be regarded as a violation of their privileges by the Commons.
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