PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 12029, 29 October 1903, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

THIS DAY. [Fbom Our Parliamicvtaiu- Kfpokter.] The Minist- r of Agriculture gave notice of leave to introduce an Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Amendment Bill. When the lmpre:*t BUI was introduced the Leader of the Opposition moved, as in amendment to going into Supply—'' That this House is of opinion that, the Government should, early next session, give Parliament an opportunity of passing into law legislation providing ior making the Legislative Council elective." Mr Massey suggested that suitable appointments to the Council would have been Sir J. Prendergast, Sir M. O'Rorke. Mr Alfred Saunders, or Mr Monk when the last batch of calls were made.—The Native Minister said the amendment was inopportune. Did not its mover do his best to bring about the defeat of Sir M. O'Rorke List December?—Mr Laurenson, while favorin" an elective Council, objected to be made a cutspaw of by the Leader of the Opposition in order to give a slap in the face to the Government.—Mr Taylor said that at the banquet on. Saturday night the Leader of the Opposition announced reform of the Council as a plank of his party's platform, and within twentyfour hours the Premier, without anv explanation, deliberately stole from the Opposition the only plank in their political platform which had so far been laid down. The Premier's audacity in the transaction was astounding. The judgment of the colony was against an elective Upper House, and the logical course was its abolition, as advocated on the previous day bv the Premier.