MINISTER ON REFORM EFFORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 172, 22 July 1922, Page 7

MINISTER ON REFORM EFFORT.

AMUSLNG COMMENT. (By Tetegiapn-—PaiCamenta-y Keparter.>. WELLINGTON- Friday. Sr W H. Herries made one of his in» frequent incursions into Parßajnentary talk with interesting comments on Go* 'en-ment critics to-nlgHt- Changed opinion on proportional repre-ntanoa was discussed in whimsica! vein. He produced the original Reform party's platform, with its declaration in tavour ot reform of the Legislative Council by making it elective under a system ot proportional representation with larsa constituencies. It was a very good perform, said Sir William, smilingly, it caught a lot of votes. (Laughter.) There ! was a picture of the Reform pany above iit and it did the trick, no doubt abocs i it.' (Loud )an_.bt-_r.) The Minister weni I on to say there was nothing in this platform about proportional repmsentauoa bein«- applied to members of Cue Lower i House, because they were always up 1 against the position that they rouid no* stand for the abolition of tiie country | quota, nor did they approve of tho almost total divorce of the member from hi- constituency. Mr. Sullivan: Why don't you carry ii out for the fpper Kou_-e? Sir W. H. Herries replied that it was only in the third scs-sion after its introduction that the Government passed th» Legislative Council Kill, ft did not get it "through the CoouciL, which hud opposed ir until it had created sojue more "lords." and this was in 1914, when too late to gazette boundaries, for the _ruh_.equent election. After this came the war. and the formation of the National Government, with an a.-rreement that the •bill should be suspended, and both sides have the right to nominate members ai the Council. Mr. W. E. Parry (in tones of aatonis-t----incnt): Is that really correct? Sir W. H. Herries: "Yes- there's no 6ecret about it. I think h. quite a good arranjrement to avoid eon-rover-slal topics." He added that when Sir Jc-_ei"a Ward left tbe National Gover._n_e.rthere was only a short time before a a election, and it was too late to the Council bill. -w off the Ques^n fe whether we shall operate it. 1 dm't know what my friend the Lead-r nf ."'•■■ House wiU say, but I think „„- <„".' porters are in a different fram ■~- _\ , i from what they were before- , i , -~- te I don't know "if they will even eupport the platform which pet __ m . (r J££ ter) I penally d o not look on proportional representation with the sime favour as when we .vere young __% fresh. I Laughter.; ° T