UPPER HOUSE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 52, 30 August 1939, Page 10

UPPER HOUSE

ABOLITION SUGGESTED

In his characteristic way, Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (National, Riccarton) made the most of the opportunity afforded him during discussion on the Estimates in the House of Representatives yesterday of twitting the Government on its attitude towards the Legislative Council.

"I feel sure that Government members will agree that we can curtail some of the expenditure," remarked Mr. Kyle.

Mr. A. S. Richards Roskill): Which item?

(Government,

Mr. Kyle: The Legislative Council, on page 16. I feel certain that Governiment members will be in entire agreement with members of the Opposition in this respect, because it is only a short I time ago that the Labour Party stood for the abolition- of the Upper House. Here is a chance for the Government to cut down expenditure by the abolition of the Upper House.- !

A Government member: More unemployed.

From time immemorial the Labour Party had urged that the Upper House be abolished, Mr. Kyle continued, amid a chorus of interjections from the Government benches. "It has been looked upon-as one of the main planks in the party's platform," he added. "I know that some Government members of this House look forward to being relegated to it some time or other and hope that it will be continued." (Government members: What about yourself?)

Mr. Kyle repeated that the Government had an excellent chance to reduce expenditure if it wished to do so.

Mr. A. F. Moncur (Government, Rotorua): You were nearly a candidate for it last October.