ABOVE THE CHAIR

Bruce Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3104, 3 October 1899, Page 5

ABOVE THE CHAIR

: — • — • (By Autolyous.) On Wednesday, owing to the want of confidence motion in the Lower House, the Upper House had another holiday— it works sometimes. In the Lower House after the Premier had notified that Capt. Russell's motion re appointments to Legislative Council was one of no confidence, the latter opened the attack on the Government. The Leader of the Opposition started off by declaring that the Premier had dominant power, <and no legislation could be undertaken without his sanction ; he ignored the House regarding legislation, and at his own sweet will made appointments to the Legislative Council. Members atone time were appointed to that Chamber for services they had rendered to the State, and were entirely free from political or party bias. They should represent every shade of political thought, and not be made delegates of to register the cyclones of popular feeling. After picturing this imaginatively ideal state of affairs in the Upper House, where none were for a party? when all were for the State, he declared that this beautiful state of felicity had ceased to exist. The only passport for a seat there now was to be a defeated candidate for the Lower House. The Council by this process had been degraded and humiliated, and members were simply the bondsmen of the Premier. He went on to declare the position was intolerable, but strangely enough stated that he was not at present prepared to say exactly what change should be made, but it should be some form of elective principle. All he wanted at present was to affirm that appointments should not be made at the will of one man, and that such appoiatments should not be made from the rejects of the people. This was a somewhat lame and impotant con" elusion, for if things are as intolerable as Capt. Kussell says, then it is his duty as a public man to provide a way sf improving them, and place the Upper House in such a position that it will not be as " degraded and humiliated " as he declares it is now. The Premier sarcastically declared that the motion really meant that no further appointments should be made until the Opposition came into power. He showed that Capt. Russell had considerably changed his views regarding an elective Upper Chamber. As to the statement that there should be no party in the Upper House, he pointed out that Conservative governments, even when in a minority, had appointed theii* own partizans to that Chamber, He specially mentioned the Hon. J. BWhyte, who he declared had used his position and made thousands of pound s ou of old soldiers who had claims for services rendered to the StateThe amendment, he said, was a subtle one, and was framed with a view to bring back to power the party that had dominated the country for 25 years and who would repeal the benefi cial legislation of the Liberal party. He denied that the men appointed of late to the Council were dominated by him. He did not want men in that Chamber who j would be dominated by anyone. What J he desired was men of independent i judgment. He would satisfy the j curiosity of the Oppoisition by stating j that the Government intended to at j once reappoint those members of the | Council who had proved efficient. He opposed applying the elective principle to the Council, advocating a limitedperiod appointment. To his mind the nearest approach to a perfect Council •was to have no Council at all. It was a fallacy to say that because a man had not held a seat in the House he should be debarred from being apDointed to the Council. There were many men who had rendered good service to the country who had never sat in the House, men who, by reason of their experience, were well qualified to render good service to the colony. The Government could go to the country with a good conscience that members of the Council had done faithful work in assisting to pass Liberal measures which had been blocked by an effete and obsolete Opposition. He challenged the Opposition to point to a single measure passed by the Government that they would recall. Mr J. Allen started off by deprecating the dragging up of the wretched : past, and ala Macaulay, but in Alleneese language went on to show that a consistent politician is either an inspired prophet or an obstinate fool. He , challenged the Government to go to the , country on the question before the

House. If the Premier were in earnes in saying ,that he believed in doing awa with the Council, why did henot carry out his views? Mr Allen then went on to declare if the Premier did so he would have his (Mr Allen's) support. This was a bold statement and it shows that Mr Allen has no Conservative views regarding the Upper House, for he must believe in sweeping away that body. This places the member for Bruce in the front rank of ultra radical members of the House, and of the Labor Unions, who strongly advocate the abolition of the Upper Chamber, He went on to state that while he did not believe in life tenure, the seven years' period was still worse. Several other members spoke, but threw little more light on the subject — no one suggested anything which would improve the Upper House. Altogether the debate was not up to an ordinary city debating club's powers, but it dragged on" till early on Thursday morning, when the dry rot set in and the debate collapsed. The Government, on going to the vote, scored another victory by five votes. The member for Ellesmere, who has been wobbling for a long time, wobbled over to the Opposition, and voted with it. On Thursday night the scene was changed — the Government and Opposition fraternised together, and all thoughts of the latter getting into fat ministerial billets, by means of a vote of confidence, were forgotten for the moment. The unanimity was charming, and the sacred fires of patriotism burned in the bosoms of most members when the Eight Hon. R. J. Seddon moved the following : — " That a respectful address be presented to his Excellency the Governor requesting him to offer to the Imperial Government, for service in the Transvaal, a contingent of mounted rifles, and that in the event of the offer being accepted the Government be empowered, after selection by the commander of the forces, to provide, equip, and despatch the force," In the course of a powerful speech he pointed out that the personal expenses of the men were estimated at £10 per head, and this the Government intended to provide. The force would consist of 210 officers and men, made up as follows : — One commanding officer, 1 surgeon, 2 captains, 6 lieutenants, 4 sergeants-major, 12 sergeants, 12 corporals, 4 trumpeters, and 168 privates. The cost per head of this contingent, according to the volunteer regulations, would be £49 7s. It might therefore be said that the expense of maintaining the company in the Transvaal would amount roughly to £50 per day. .l he majority of the members re-echoed the sentiments of the Premier. On going to the vote the following had the courage of their opinions and voted against the motion : Messrs Gilfedder, J. Hutcheson, Kelly, Taylor, J. W. Thomson, and McNab. The proceedings closed with an histrionic outburst of patriotism, the whole House singing " God Save the Queen."