ABOLITION OF UPPER HOUSE

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24052, 14 September 1943, Page 4

ABOLITION OF UPPER HOUSE

* “NO USEFUL SERVICE PERFORMED”

“I know of nothing in my Parliamentary experience which justifies the continuance of the Legislative Council,” said Mr S. G. Holland, leader of the National Party, when answering, questions after an address to electors of Christchurch North at St. Matthew’s Church schoolroom last evening. Mr Holland had been asked if he was in favour of the continuance of the “Old Men’s Home’.’ in Wellington. “I don’t propose to continue it,” added Mr Holland: “Unless we can find some more useful job for it, the Legislative Council will be either obliterated or greatly reduced in numbers. But I am not quite complete in my mind on the subject. I believe we may require to use servicemen to assist in the Government’s rehabilitatiqn plans, and it may be necessary to appoint six of them to give them legislative authority. “Frankly I know of no useful service that the Legislative Council performs,” said Mr Holland. A gentleman who was 86 had been appointed to the Legislative Council, and would be 93 by the time his term had expired, “The thing is just utterly absurd. We are already pledged to reduce the size of Parliament, and I see no reason why the Legislative Council shouldn’t be abolished altogether.”