SIXTY MEMBERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 219, 15 September 1932, Page 14

SIXTY MEMBERS.

N.S.W. UPPER HOUSE.

GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS

PROSPECT OF STORMY SESSION

(From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, September 9. The Parliamentary session opened on Tuesday and it is expected to last till well on in December. The inaugural function was marked by what the "Labour Daily" describes as "pomp and pageantry of the nauseating and snobbish type," and the proceedings subsequently were marred by a disgraceful outburst of disorder from the gallery, which was thronged with Langites, mostly women. After some trouble the ringleaders were ejected, but the incident provided an unpleasant prelude to the business of the day.

In the evening the Premier announced that at his recommendation his Excellency had appointed 17 additional members to the Legislative Council. This step is obviously necessary, as the Council has been well packed with Langite nominees. One of the chief "planks" in the Nationalist election platform was the reform of the Upper House, and as the people have given -Mr. Stevens' Government a mandate to effect this change tho only course by which the way can be cleared is to increase tho number of Government votes there. According to the Langite organ the new members are "party hacks" or "well-known party heelers" and political hangers-on of the U.A.P. and U.C.P.— as if ,'iny useful purpose could be served by appointing Langites! But in the opinion of the "Sydney Morning Herald" these appointments are "of the best within modern times—men in the main unknown for any partisan prepossessions, men who have in their spheres of activity throughout the State earned the respect of their fellow citizens, and whose qualifications' and experience should be of great value to Parliament at this juncture." The fact that "eleven out of the 17 new mawbers have been chosen solely out of regard for their standing in the farming and pastoral life of the State" may justify the complaint of a section of the Nationalists that the Country party is tending to monopolise power in the new Parliament; but there can be no doubt of the ability and tho good repute of these new aspirants to Parliamentary fame. Sixty-four Appointments By Labour. Perhaps it is only natural that the "Labour Daily" should revil© Mr. Stevens and the Governor for adopting a policy which Mr. Lang used so greatly to his own advantage during his tenure of office. The Langite organ declares s with characteristically brutal offensivcness that the Governor has "butted into politics" again, and it charges Sir Philip Game with "betraying active partisanship" in these appointments. But it must be remembered that within the past 12 years various Labour Governments have made no less than 64 appointments to the Upper House, as against only nine appointments made by their political opponents, and it was only when Mr. Lang was evidently bent on wresting constitutional procedure to an illegitimate extreme for factious purposes that the representatives of the Crown stayed his hand. The principal purpose o£ this reconstruction of the Upper Houso will be made clearer when the Attorney-General submits to the Legislative Council the scheme devised by Cabinet for the reconstruction of the revising Chamber. It is an open secret that the original idea of Mr. Stevens and his chief advisers was an Upper Houso of 00 members, of whom 45 were to be elected on popular franchise in large constituencies. But there is no doubt that the reduction of the basic wage and other administrative experiments made by the Government since the elections have tended to weaken its popularity, and

it might be dangerous to risk the defeat of its policy by another appeal to the electors at the present time. Election By Both Chambers. Cabinet has therefore decided to adopt the suggestions made in the report of the Bryce Commission' on Revising Chambers, in favour of an Upper House elected by both Chambers voting together. With the 17 new appointments the Upper House contains 123 members, which is 33 more than the Legislative Assembly. The total number of votes in tile two Houses —213 in allrepresents a sufficiently large constituency, and if, as seems probable, this method of reconstruction is adopted, it will probably satisfy everybody but the Langites. It is proposed that 20 members of the new House shall be appointed for three years, 20 for six years, and the remaining 20 for nine years; and every three years each new Parliament will elect 20 members in place of those retiring. The election will be carried out on a proportional representation basis, and those who have examined the recommendations of the Bryce Commission wiH agree that, at least on paper, it offers a very promising solution of this difficult problem. Other Legislation. Apart from this Reform Bill, Parliament will have to consider a number of important measures. The Rural Bank Bill, tho Farmers' Debt Relief Bill, and the Western Lands Amendment Bill are all of extreme interest to the members of the Country party; the Arbitration Amendment Bill, the Tenancy Bill, and the Moratorium Billhave important industrial bearings, the various bills dealing with the City Council elections, hospitals, and transport are of special interest for the city, and the probable measures dealing with betting, racing, and lotteries will concern all classes alike. Of course, the Budget alone will

absorb, a great deal of time, more especially if, as seems probable, it follows "the lines, of rigid . economy already indicated by Mr. Stevens. On the whole, the outlook suggests a busy and stormy session, and Mr. Steven 3 has been well advised to take precautions against any needless waste, of time by fixing somewhat narrow limits for the debate on the Address-in-Keply. ■ ,