LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE LORDS AND THEIR SO-CALLED VETO.
[TO THE EDITOR OE THE " SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—The writer of the article, " The Lords and their so- called Veto," in the Spectator of October 20th, says that if the country decides to abolish the House of Lords, it can be done by the creation of enough Peers to make a majority in the Lords in favour of repeal. Nova Scotia furnishes a curious object-lesson in that connection. For a number of years,. both the Local Government and Opposition have professedly desired to abolish the Legislative Council. This is the Nova Scotia House of Lords, consisting of eighteen Members appointed for life by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council. Some other provinces had abolished the Second Chamber, and Nova Scotian thought that they might be spared the expense of theirs. Accordingly, as vacancies occurred in recent years, they were filled by men from whom the Govern- ment had obtained written pledges that they would support. any Bill for the abolition of the Council which might be sent up from the Lower House.
By the last Session the majority of the Members of the Council had given such pledges, yet when a Bill for abolishing that body was passed by the House of Assembly it was de- feated in the Council by a considerable majority. The recreant Members, when confronted with their signed pledges,. replied, through some leading lawyers, that it was illegal to exact such promises, and that they were not binding on the persons after their appointment. Many people disagree with the legal opinion, founded on sonic passing words of Burke, and maintain that at any rate the ethics of the ease are clear. But the fact remains that the Council still exists, and is not prepared to vote itself out of existence. The case differs from the House of Lords, since the number of Members in this instance is limited. But supposing the parvenu Lords like their new dignities ! Or do Englishmen regard their promises snore faithfully than Colonists am, Sir, &c., Sackville, N.B., Canada, November 10th. W. M. TWEEDIE.
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