COUNCIL REFORM.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 196, 18 August 1913, Page 6

COUNCIL REFORM.

PAINSTAKING COLLECTION" OF FACT'S. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. During the Legislative Council recess, which lasts until next Wednesday, a subcommittee of the Select Committee set up to consider the Council Reform Bill has been busy collecting every available bit of material relating to the electiou of second chambers. The compilers of this mass of fact and argument _re the Hon. 0. Samuel, Hon. J. Sinclair, and I Hon. J. Duthie. It U understood that they have prepared for presentation to ] tbe main committee next week particulars of all the bills which have for years past been introduced in either House, also -the "Hansard" references on the subject, extracts from text books, and reports on tho working of proportional representation in Tasmania (the only one of the Australasian States in which the experiment has yet been tried), the report of the English Royal Commission, and official statements and maps. The first intention was to hear witnesses, hut the probability is that this • w_l be abandoned, as no facts as dis- , tinguished from opinions are in dispute, .and the prospective witnesses are so numerous that it would be difficult to . Teduee them to any number small enough | to allow of hearing them within the fume | available for preparing the report.