REFORM OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 187, 9 August 1890, Page 4

REFORM OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The proposal made by Sir George Whitmore in the Legislative Council to reduce the term of a Legislative Councillor's office to ten years, was too great an effort. Wβ are hardly surprised. When referring to this subject some days ago, we expressed astonishment that such a democratic proposal should have emanated from bo Conservative a body. With a little variation of the original eaying, we were disposed to ask, "Can any Liberal thing come out of the Council?" The hint then made that the Bill was probably the outcome of a spasmodic accession of Liberalism on the part of legislators, has proved only too well founded. The Bill got .so far as to pass the second reading, by 20 to 11, and there seemed every prospect that the measure would come safely through. The opponents of the measure, however, were determined to raise heaven and earth to eject the intruder upon the Councillors , privileges; and some of those who bad voted for second reading were only too , glad of an excuse for rihanpe of front. And the oracle was worked in a very adroit manner.

There was in the original Bill a clause which proposed to allow present members to retain all their privilege's' as in a word, the new Bill was not in any way to disturb the present occupants of the Legislative dovecot. The retention of that clause would have saved the measure, but some ruthless member proposed and secured itsexcieion. This was just what the opponents of the reform needed. They had probably calculated that if the saving clauae were deleted, they could then work upon the personal selfishness of the Council; and so it came about that some of the very members who had voted for omitting the clause which left present members' privileges undisturbed, made thia omission the ground for rejecting the whole Bill ! An amendment was proposed by the Hon. G. McLean (who had voted for the second reading), and seconded by the old " pionear," Dr. Pollen, that the Bill be read a third time that day three months; and it was cwried by 17 to 13. The cause which secured the defeat of this desirable reform has been instrumental in rejecting scores of other Liberal measures. So long as our legislators are enacting laws for the "unborn millions," all goes well; but give these laws a present application, and tbecaseisdifforent—patriotism is then subjected to a severe strain. Now that the Bill has been defeated, its opponents doubtless sleep better. It ia sincerely to be hoped, however, that the fear expressed by the Hon. Sir George Whitmore, in introducing the measure—which was, that the present Constitution of the Council " would act as a red flag to Socialists "— will not be realised. Those members who have succeeded in defeating the Bill reducing Councillors' term of office to ten year?, instead of for life, would look very glum should the " democracy" so frequently referred to in the course of the debate take it into its head to sweep away tbe Council holus-bolus, and the "old pioneers " so feelingly championed by Dr. Grace along with it. And there are more improbable events than that.