THE UPPER HOUSE

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 86, 8 October 1920, Page 7

THE UPPER HOUSE

ELECTION OR* APPOINTMENT ?

CHANGE POSTPONED.

The Legislative Council Amendment Bill came before the House of' Representatives last evening from the Upper House for its second reading.

In moVing the second reading, • the Prime Minister said that in, 1913, when I the present Ac); (which it was now proposed to amendl) was before the House, a promise had been, given that a future | opportunity would be offered of further j «onsidering or amending the legislation' before it became operative. The war, however, had intervened, and one of the ■compacts between parties was that during the war period, no change in the Legislative Council should take place. Since the war there had been no opportunity of dealing with it, and this session there was as much work to be done as could possibly be attended to. He did not know whether it would be possible to complete the session in a,month. He continued'that the proposals of the , Act wet-e attracting considerable attention. What had occurred in, New South Wales last year had caused' attention to be devoted to it. He underctood some members intended introducing amendments which would alter the Bill before it became operative." The Government, he ssid, of the same way of thinking as in 1914. In that year the Lefislativo Council was not a particularly popular form o£ Legislature. No one found fault with it now. (Laughter.) Mr. M'Dombs: "The people have cisasei to regard it seriously." Mr.Massey: "My honest opinion, is that the honourable "gentleman is not a good judge of public opinion." (Laughter). He did not want to be discourteous in saying that, but merely to express fwhat he believed. (Laughter.) The Legislative Council Act, he said, would take some time to deal with, and it would be brought before Parliament ni»t session. If the present short Bill wera passed, it would mean that the present position would continue until Parliament had the opportunity of dealing with the Act. The Prime Minister then referred briefly to the other clauses of the Bill. He moved the second reading. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) regretted the postponement of a change that would have to come sooner or later. The question of whether there | should be another Chamber a* all had) [been frequently discussed :in the Houea, j and the expression of opinion hadi usually been that there should be a; form of revisory Chamber, but what' the form should take was a matter of contention. As there was little chance of the Govern-' ment's present intention being affected, it would be idle to tak© un- time by eugJ gesting methods under which the second! Chamber .should be raised. He suggested that if a sitting were de'rotsd to a discussion, and the system under which the House of Representatives also should be elected, the result would be in favour o£ another system than the present. H«l was prepared to support a measure for the election of the members of the House of Representatives undor t>he proportional representation system. Meanwhile, in regard' to the present matter, they must depend upon the statement of the Prime Minister that an opportunity would be given next session of discussing! the BUI, and either repealing or passing it. In the meantime it would be wastd of time, to discuss the matter further.

The debate was continued on familiar lines, mainly by Labour members, the! virtues of proportional representation being dealt with at some length.. The second reading was carried by 36 votes to 16.

The Committee stages wens fchfeni taken. Mr. Holland divided, the House on clauss 3, which postpones the date of the coming into operation of the Act. The clausa was passed' by 36 to 16. The Bill -was read a third time and| passed.