THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21717, 26 February 1936, Page 10

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

APPOINTMENTS TO BE MADE PRIME MINISTER’S STATEMENT ITHE PRESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, February 25. “Nine or 10 nominees of the Labour Government will be appointed to the Legislative Council, and the appointments will be made in time to enable new members to attend the opening of Parliament toward the end of next month,” said the Prime Minister, the Hon. M. J. Savage, to-day. “It is impossible at the moment to give any indication of the names of the prospective nominees,” continued the Prime Minister. “Applications for appointment to the Legislative Council run into hundreds, and these have come from all parties. We have not begun yet to sort them out, but it will be necessary to deal with the applications soon.” Farther than that Mr Savage would not go. He merely smiled when a string of names was submitted to him. Was it likely, as was rumoured, he was asked, that the Hon. W. Dowme Stewart, a former Minister of the Crown, and a writer on socialism, would be appointed to the Legislative Council so that his outstanding political intellect and shrewd economic knowledge might still be of service to New Zealand? Or the Hon. Sir Charles Statham, former Speaker of the House of Representatives? Or the Rev. J. K. Archer, of Christchurch? Many others were suggested also. The Prime Minister smiled, but there was no other answer. Meanwhile the numerical strength of the Legislative Council is extremely low. There are only 26 members, although *it would not be considered odd or unwieldy if the total were half of the aggregate of the House of Representatives (80). It is well known, however, that the Labour Government is not really embarrassed about the possible attitude of the Upper House toward the House of Representatives. If there should be anything in the nature of a revolt against Labour there is an act on the Statute Book providing, with a stroke of the pen, for an elective council. Moreover, the Government with its overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives, could, if it desired, make an end to the chamber of elder statesmen. Nothing of the sort is contemplated, however, and within a fortnight or so the council’s number will be increased by 10 members, whose radical politics, it may be presumed, will leaven the lump.