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IN PARLIAMENT.

DAILY SUMMARY. REFORM OF THE UPPER HOUSE. The Legislative Council was tho principal object in the political' landscape of yesterday. Its prominence was due, not to anything that occurred at its own Bitting, but to the interest biken by the House in proposals for reforming it. The business done by tlio Council consisted of tho completion of tho Committee stago of tho Menta-l Defectives Bill,,and the passage of tho Friendly Societies Amendment Bill and the Stono Quarries Amendment Bill through Committee. The House, after questions and formal business hat! been dealt with, resumed its consideration of tho Estimates, interrupted on Tuesday last. From about 3 p.m. until 10.35 p.m. members discussed with fervojr, and sometimes with heat, tho problem of mendiag or ending tho Legislative Council. Half a dozen "Lords" sat in tlie gallery set apart for them during, almost the wholo period of tho dobate. The debate was patchy, but not lacking in interest. , "Well-informed Parliamentarians avorred freely, earlier in tho week, tliat if Mr. Massey's amendment, favouring an elective Upper House, had come to a division on Tuesday, it would have been carried Yesterday it quickly became evident that the fate of the amendment was "sealed. Government members-' mostly agTeed .with their brethren of the Opposition in stating that some Teform of the Council was necessary, but they displayed ingenuity in explain-'ngwhy, as demoorats, they felt bound to vote in favour of what Mr. Herries described as that "crusted Conservative institution,' a nominated Upper House. There Tvere indications that, in tho efforts which had, been made to bring them into line for a party division, some sort of assurance had been given that the Government would introduce some reform. Mr. Massey's 'amendment was rejected by 37 votes to 22. A proposal to abolish the Council, introduced by Mr. Fisher, was still niore decisively defeated. Several modified proposals .submitted subsequently met, with [i similar, fate. ... . . . In tlie latter part of the debate, the Prime. Minister promised that the Government would bring down a Bill ,to reform the Council. His proposals, roughly outlined, were that the futuro Council should be partly nominated and partly elective. No one could listen to the debate without becoming aware that' the House is split into many sections and camps on the subject of reform of tho /Legislative (jonncil. It will certainly-bo a matter of difficulty, to obtain tho support of a majority upon any definite proposal. Onoe it had embajked on tho Estimates a calm settled down on the, House, and considerable progress was made before progress was leported at 1.50 p.m. JOHNSON-WELLS FIQHT. ■ .—<> . PROPOSAL BY THE PROMOTER. \ ■®y Tolcffraph—Press Association— Copyright London, September 21.. ' Mr. -White, the promoter of the John-son-Wells fight,, proposes'that. the Rev. F. B. Meyer should nominate six and.the "Sportsman" newspaper, another six'per60>ns, and if these decide that kinematograph pictures of the fight are degrading, • the negative be destroyed. A condition is that Mr. Meyer shall,-,openateifund ~ta .. repay tho. five'thousand pounds'paid by ' the photographers. " Mr. White suggests , that threo men control the fight, in order, to. avoid offensive elements. ■ ' : ' Mr. Meyer declares that it is his intention to:persist in- his opposition, owing to racial considerations. :

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19110923.2.36

Bibliographic details

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1240, 23 September 1911, Page 5

Word Count
527

IN PARLIAMENT. Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1240, 23 September 1911, Page 5

IN PARLIAMENT. Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1240, 23 September 1911, Page 5

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