N.S.W. COUNCIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 March 1926, Page 5

N.S.W. COUNCIL

ANOTHER GOVT. DEFEAT. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY, March 3. The Government was again defeated in the Legislative Council, that Chamber refusing to sanction a clause in the Electoral Amendment Act Bill abolishing proportional representation and substituting single seats and first past the post principle. The Upper House was prepared for the single seats reform, but wanted preferential voting as a safeguard, and this was carried by 37 to 36 votes thereby de ■ feating the main design of Mr. Lang’s bill. The Government then decided not to proceed further with the measure. The Legislative Council by 37 to 34 decided to insist on its amendment to eliminate the schedule of unions atached to the Arbitration Amendment Bill. The effect of the vote is to give all registered unions, including loyalists’ organisations, the privileges of the Bill. HOMELAND’S ATTITUDE. LONDON, March 3. “Settle it yourselves,” is the substance of the Colonial .Office’s advice to all Australian States, regarding the domestic constitutional questions, similar to the New South Wales Legislative Council, concerning which, it is held there is need to be no crisis because Mr Amery clearly and definitely stated in his despatch in December that such questions must be settled between the ’Governor and the Ministers. Appeals to the Imperial authorities are therefore unnecessary. Mr McTiernan’s projected visit to London will, therefore, obviously be futile, because Mr Amery will be unable to do more than’ his elaborate despatch set out.