COUNCIL REFORM THE UPPER HOUSE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 27, 25 February 1913, Page 8

COUNCIL REFORM THE UPPER HOUSE

.WHAT WILL HAPPEN? In accordance with the ordinary practice of government in Great Britain and the^ self-governing Dominions, it is admitted by members vof both Houses that the present Administration is entitled to make some appointments to the Legislative Council. This is held- by memberst to be Teasonable^-quite apart from the action of the Legislative Council last session in postponing the Legislative Council Election, Bill for a year. It is generally accepted as certain that some appointments will be made before the next session. Various opinions have been expressed in the press and in political circles as tb the number of new appointments that are likely to be made. At present' the' Council consists of 38members — 7 appointed, for life and 31 for fixed terms. Of those appointed under the 7-year tenure, the Hon. T. Kelly Te- j tires on the 16th October of this year. The following members of -the Council retire on the 22nd of January next year : —Horn. J. Anstey, J. Barr, J. B. Cal* lan, W. E. Collins, H. Gilmer, C. M. Luke, W. W. M'CaTdle, J. T. Paul, 0. Samuel, J. R. Sinclair ))t G. J. Smith. W. H. Tucker. The Hon. R. A. Loughnan retires on the 6th of. May, 1914, and Hons. J. E. Jenkinson and J. Rigg on the Ist of July. 1914. Thus it will be seen that 'between the present date and the Ist of July of itext year, 16 members of the Council will Tetire. In gauging the position that the Government will be in hext session with respect to Legislative Oouucil reform, the attitude of. the members of the Upper Chamber to the Government _ measure last session has to be ioorne in mind. The second reading of the^ Legislative Council Elections Bill was j carried by 24 votes to 8. Onder ordinary circumstances this would nwan ' a majority of 16 for affirtmng thf principle of election of the meimhe-." of the Council. The committal rtf the Rill was, however, negatived, and tho following amendment was carried — . "That the, Council is of opinion that, having affirmed that the constitit- j fcion of the Council should be altered I from nomination to election, ifc is in' | advisable to proceed fur.tb.er with th 9 Bill until next session, i^ order, that the electors of the Dominion may bo given an opportunity of considering i the proposals for giving effect to the Bill/ - . - There were thirteen members who voted for ( the § committal and twenty voted against it and in favour of the amendment. The Legislative ' Council Bill limiting appointments to the Council for three years was thrown out by 21 votes to 13— -a majority of eight against it. An- analysis of the voting last session, and bearing in mind the opinions expressed by members with respect to both tho principle and the details of me Gov> ernment's Legislative Council Election Bill, fail to onabh any confident prediction to be made ap to the number of naft members that the Government will have to appoint in order to secnve the passing of their measure either in the coming session or before the General Election at the end of next year. A careful study of the present position ami the Mitre prospects of Legislative Council reform (always bearing in mind the fact that there will be one vacancy in the Council this year, and fifteen next year), leads those well able to 'judge to the conclusion that it is very probable tho Government will only make a few appointments within the next month or so, and the future course of j events will depend upon the treatment j of the Government's Council Reform proposals during next session.