THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE LORDS
StR,—Any opinion on the proposed reform of the House of Lords not backed by political experience and an intimate knowledge of England's domestic troubles is, I know, worth very little, but the salient point of the controversy seems to be that the present British Government thinks the peers have held their privileged position too long. The removal of their already curtailed powers of delaying the passage of Bills passed by the Commons would make the Upper House, in fact, as redundant as its opponents have always said it is. The way would then be clear for agitation for its total abolition on the grounds of this redundancy. More- over, an additional excuse would be provided for looking on a peerage, not as a reward for outstanding services to the community, but as the brand of an obsolescent and anti-social " class."
Many people think that the Dominions are not consulted enough in .matters, for instance, like the proposed Western European Union, but are left to follow meekly wherever Britain leads. What better way would there be of making the federation between the countries of the Common- wealth and Empire closer than by the institution of an Imperial House of Lords ? This would necessitate an adequate number of Colonial peers sitting in London along with the British lords. The Governments of Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and such colonies as receive self-government would recommend those of their statesmen, etc., that they saw fit to, and it is to be hoped that India and Ireland would also join. The House would be concerned solely with commercial, legal and foreign affairs as they affected the Empire group and have no juris- diction over the internal politics of the countries represented. But in their own sphere they would represent the highest court of appeal and take precedence over individual Parliaments. Surely this would provide a more active alternative to American or Russian ideology than at present exists for small countries within the Empire ?—Yours, &c.,
The Union, Sydney University, Australia. P. R. NORMEUILLE.
Previous page
