UPPER HOUSE IN N.Z.

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26383, 30 March 1951, Page 8

UPPER HOUSE IN N.Z.

VIEWS -iV—u OF SUITABLE Members (New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, March 29. “I am by no means convinced that there is room for a second chamber in New Zealand,” said the AttorneyGeneral (Mr T. C. Webb) when commenting at the New Zealand Law Society’s conference on a paper presented on a possible chamber to succeed the Legislative Council. “The biggest problem in obtaining suitable members of a second chamber is that 90 per cent, of the people in New Zealand are actuated by very little more than selfishness.

"No system should be devised to try to prevent the people electing the representatives they want. I am afraid that some people have only that object in view when they talk about a second chamber. What we want are men of energy, ability and independence. The difficulty is to get them. There is more to be gained by trying to raise the calibre of the Lower House than by amending the second chamber.” Mr Webb said that it was difficult to get people who would take an independent view. It would be a real difficulty in a second chamber based on functional representation. Someone would have -o appoint or elect the members and party politics would enter and party politics had sounded the death knell ol the Legislative Council. A nominated Upper House would mean that the representatives might be there all their lives. That idea could not be tolerated. Then again, the possible nominees were only human, and if elected for a term of years would be concerned to retain their seats.

Mr Webb's comments were prompted by the paper presented to the conference by Mr D. J. Riddiford, of Wellington. Mr Riddiford’s proposal was for a second chamber based on functional representation to recognise the economic organisation of national life. He said that the concept had been advanced by Mr L. S. Amery as a third British chamber in which the great economic problems of the day could secure practical and responsible discussion free from abstract party catchwords and programmes and partisan manoeuvring for power. Mr Riddiford said that while it would be presumptuous to offer suggestions on details of the scheme there were a number of associations which had claims for representation including the university colleges, the federation of Labour, the British Medical Association, the Counties Association the Municipal Association, the Associated Banks, the Sheepowners’ Federation, the Law Society, and the Employers’ Federation.

Mr Riddiford advocated also a written constitution which could only be altered by a referendum, but with machinery to review electoral panels to ensure that the most significant forces in national life were always represented.

On tne suggestion of Mr Webb and with the blessing of the conference as the president (Mr W. H. Cunningham) said, Mr Riddiford is to present his paper to the Constitutional Reform Committee appointed to consider the form or need for a second chamber