UPPER HOUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 203, 28 August 1934, Page 9

UPPER HOUSE.

CHOICE OF MEMBER

SETBACK FOR FEMINISTS.

"NO CHANCE OF ELECTION."

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

SYDNEY, August 21

The death of Mr. D. Rees, M.L.C., created a vacancy in the new Upper House, and it has been filled, in accordance with the Reform Act by preferential voting, the electors being the members of the two . Houses, in conjunction. Naturally there has been competition for the post, and the State Labour party expected, or professed to expect, that as Mr. Rees had been a Langite his successor would be chosen from their camp.. In fact, Langites in the House, openly charged Ministers with "repudiation," and "breach of faith," when it was announced that the seat was open to candidates from all parties.

It is true that when the Reform Bill was under discussion, Mr. Martin, Minister of Justice, did suggest that, in case of a vacancy the Government would consider bringing in a bill to allow the seat to be filled by a candidate of' the same "colour" as the late member. But this was certainly not a promise, nor was the statement made in the Minister's official capacity. As. a matter of fact, it is probable that if the Federal Labour party had put forward a candidate whose moderation and political reputation commended him to Ministers, he would have received a great deal bf support from U.A.P. and TJ.C.P. members. In this connection reference was frequently made to Mr. Matthew Charlton, who preceded Mr. Scullin as head of the Federal Labour party, and who is respected and esteemed even by his political opponents. But when the selection of candidates was made, the AX.P. put forward another Federal Labour member, ignoring Mr. Charlton altogether; 60 this opportunity was lost.

Mayor of Wagga Chosen. As to the Langites it is hardly likely that U.A.P. and U.C.P. members could have been induced in any circumstances to vote for a member of the body which they regard as the gravest menace to our' political stability and security. The upshot of it all was the election of a candidate equally acceptable to U.A.P. and U.C.P. Mr. E. Collins is Mayor of Wagga, he has been for some years associated with the U.A.P., he is president of the Riyerina Development League, and he is one of the leading lights of the wool industry in his part of the State. So that everybody is satisfied— except the Langites, and, I must add, the women.

It is quite certain that strong pressure was brought to bear upon the Premier and his colleagues to induce them to support one or other of the possible women candidates for the Upper House. In fact, only one woman, Mrs: G. Webster, who had been put in the Upper House by Mr. Lang, was ! actually nominated. But long before the election Mr. Stevens, whether reluctantly or not, had been "compelled to make it clear to the chairipions of feminism that no woman has any chance of election to the Upper House at the present time. "Truth" puts the case with needless brutality, but no doubt accurately enough. "All these old men in the Legislative Council,". it tells us, "make no excuse for their attitude. *We,have heard women's voices all pur lives,' they say, 'and we are not going to listen to any of.them here.'" Possibly this may seem to reflect rather unkindly upon the intelligence of our M.L.C.'s. But there is probably enough truth in it to justify Mr. Stevens in his refusal to take any further political risks at present by nominating or supporting a woman for a seat in our Revising Chamber.