UPPER HOUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 128, 1 June 1934, Page 10

UPPER HOUSE.

APPOINTMENTS SOON.

REMODELLING UNLIKELY,

COST OF THE CHAMBER

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON", this day.

The Coalition Government has had so .nany urgent problems thrust upon it ior prompt decision that important casks which could wait have been put .iMde, and the Legislative Council has suffered through this pressure of more important questions. Towards the end of last year, Ministers were watching with interest the changed system Df elective appointments inaugurated in connection with the New South Wales Upper House, and there was some talk of changing the constitution of Zealand's Legislative Council. But thero is to he no remodelling; instead, the Government contemplates bringing the Council membership up to what Ministers at present term "working strength."

It is uncertain at the moment how many appointments will be made, but ;i dozen are probable. These will include a few former Councillors whose terms had exjjired and were not renewed at the time, though three who reached that position last year were again appointed.

The term of Sir James Allen ends to-day, while Colonel G. J. Smith and the Hon. Eobert Scott complete their seven-year term on June 25, just before the commencement of the session. In October, Sir William Hall-Jones will reach, the end of Ms term. Only Eighteen Left. It is generally admitted that a council of eighteen—the present total—is inadequate to carry out the- duties of a revisory chamber, and the appointment of twelve more members would bring the numbers up to a compromise point between zero and the highest point of Council membership. When Governments become doubtful regarding the future of New Zealand's second Chamber there is a tendency to allow its numbers to drop, and this was the case in 1914, when the total was down to nineteen, and Mr. Massey had in mind an elective Upper House, utilising , proportional representation and large constituencies. The idea, on longer consideration, did not appeal, while the Liberals, in Opposition, were not anxious to see it in operation, so that it was conveniently forgotten. A change of opinion by the Labour Opposition on the subject of proportional representation now deprives that ideal of any practical support in Parliament. Economy the Reason. Economy rather than the ideal of Tβvision has been the cause of the existing limitation on appointments. The Cabinet itself is at least two short of the total possible number of Ministers. Legislators have subjected themselves to the same.salary cute as the Public Ser-vice,-.with the result that the Council members are now down to a modest annual ihonorarium of £255 3/. The whole establishment is inexpensive, judged by former standards. Members' honoraria cost £4236, the messengers and office equipment £1714, and the salaries of permanent officials bring the total up to just over £8000 per annum, which, however, does not include the proportion of the expense of the official reports in "Hansard," which are equally complete for both branches of the Legislature. If cost is the gauge of . the importance of the Council to-day, it takes a modeet back seat when its £8000 is compared with the gross expenditure on the -whole of Parliament, which, according to the laet Estimates, is £115,995 per annum.