Evening Post. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1913. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 27, 25 February 1913, Page 6

Evening Post. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1913. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

The Opposition newspapers continue to make merry over the claim of the Massey Government to the title of "Reform Government," and it must be admitted that with regard to questions of land policy, for instance, the title has a paradoxical sound. It is, however, only fair to Mr. Massey and his colleagues to say that with regard to the most fundamental reform questions of all —the great constitutional and administrative changes which are essential to the good government of the country, whether by Conservatives, Liberals, or Radicals— they have shown themselves far more genuinely Liberal than their opponents. It "will remain a lasting discredit to the Liberal Party that during twenty years of office it not merely neglected these reforms entirely, but by a despotic use of power immensely aggravated the abuses which made reform necessary. The Public Service, Public Works, and the Legislative Council are the three principal fields in which political patronage ran riot during the Liberal regime; and regarding every one of them the Reform Party had, when in Opposition, a genuine measure of reform to suggest. In the first case, the Massey Government has already made the* promise good by the passing of the Public Service Act, an excellent measure with which we see nothing wrong except that it does not include tho jail ways but' which the Liberate did their best to destroy. Tho reform of the Public Works administration is a much xnore difficult matter, but as* both the Ward and the Mackenzie Governments committed themselves to the principle of delegating local works to local control, under a revised scheme of rural self-government, it may be hoped that the matter will be settled, as a great national issue should be settled, without party wrangling. The combined statesmanship of both' parties will certainly be taxed to its utmost before the question can be satisfactorily and permanently sottled. The third of the great reforms is concerned with the Legislative Council. At the General Election of 1800, which brought the 1 Liberals into power, the reform of the Legislative Council figured prominently in their programme, and everybody knows what a woeful mess they made of it. Their legislative remedy was to reduce the term of appointment from life to seven years, and on the administrative side appointments were made of a kind which gives the original promises of reform quite a farcical air. Mediocrity, and even insignificauco, have been among the qualities that Liberal Governments have most delighted to honour in their nominations to the Council. The worst enemy of the Council could not have done it a greater injury. With the entire approval of the country, the Massey Government has pointed out the true remedy. Partisan nomination has reduced the Legislative Council to a nonen* tity and a by-word ; democratic election is needed to restore it to self-respect and efficiency. Here again the Government has provided a striking proof of its courage and sincerity. It could easily have redressed the party balance on the Council by a number of appointments which could not possibly have been much worse and would probably have been much better than those of its predecessors. But in proposing an elective solu* tion it seeks to deprive itself of a powerful instrument of patronage, and the attempt would have been already successful but for the blunders of its opponents. After giving tho Legislative Council Elections Bill its second reading the Council decided not to proceed further with the measure last session. The pretext was that the country might be given an opportunity of considering the matter. As we pointed out at the time, if the Council had really desired to get information on the point, and not merely to find an excuso ibr delay, it woulr 1 have at least proceeded far enough with the Bill to show the exact nature of its objections. A definite issue would have attracted attention and discussion and allowed public opinion to crystallise. Instead of taking this course, the Council shunted the Bill before it was eVon clear that they had committed themselves to the principle of direct olertion. Tho Government retorted in a spirited fashion hy submitting the substance of the Bill to the House of Representatives in a scries of resolu lions which were passed by a largo majority. A Bill reducing the term of a Legislative Councillor's appointment, from seven years to three was also j.at-sed by tho House. th« avowed object of the niea&uiv being to reduce the inconvenience and tho cost of tho appointments that tho Councils

rejection of the principal Bill had rendered necessary. The Council committed the further blunder of rejecting this measure also, thus leaving the Government no alternative but to exercise the patronago which It bad provided conclusive proof of its desire to avoid. Ris Excellency cannot possibly refuse tlie Government as many appointments to the Conneil as may reasonably bo deemed necessary to carry the Reform Bill, and irresponsible speculation i 3 alveady busy as to their number* and nature. Partisan appointments they must necessarily be, since tho object is to carry a patty iheasut'e ; but the Government will be wise to avoid the blunders of its predecessors and not make subservience the predominant qualification. Indeed, as the immediate issue is one OK which the Government has taken tho democratic side, the ranga of choice will bo So wide as to afford au excellent opportunity for improving both tho representative character and the calibre of the Council, tn its own interest the Government wilj bo wise not to look exclusively to the Bump of the old party. Why should not Mi 1 . Massey give the lie to the taunt that his Government st&ndß for tho privileges of wealth and class by making one or two good Labour appointments? The occasion provided the best test that has yet arisen for gauging the statesmanship of the Government on its administrative side, and tho result 'is Awaited with ex» ceptional interest by both friend and foe.