USE OF COUNCIL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 7, 8 July 1938, Page 6

USE OF COUNCIL

MEMBER'S IDEA

DEALING WITH MEASURES

The subsidiary nature of the Legislative Council as a revisory body does not appeal to at least one councillor. When the Address-in-Reply ; debate was continued in the Council yesterday, the Hon. T. Bloodworth (Auckland) suggested that the Government could make more use of the Council and, even if it meant amending the Standing Orders, could dispose of minor measures better by allowing the Council to deal with them first.

The Council played a very useful part in the Government of the country, Mr. Bloodworth said, but, in his opinion, its part could be greater if the Government would make more use of councillors. He had often wondered why the House rushed work to dispose of minor measures in the dying hours of the session when they could be introduced in the Council, given a thorough overhaul, and then sent on to the House. To do that would mean an alteration in established procedure, but he could see no reason why StandIng Orders should not be altered if The alteration would expedite the work of the General Assembly.

During the recess, said Mr; Bloodworth,; a great deal of evidence had been taken by a committee on national health and social security insurance, and other committees had inquired into matters of public interest, but in no case was a single councillor included on a committee. As long as there was an Upper Chamber it was entitled to some consideration. The Council would have to consider the social security legislation when it was brought down and if a member of the Council had been^ on the committee he could have given a full explanation of the matter to other members.