UPPER HOUSE REFORM.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIIII, Issue 3625, 11 September 1912, Page 9

UPPER HOUSE REFORM.

NEW BILL PROMISED. TO BE INTRODUCED TO-DAY. Bv Telegraph—Special Correspondent. WELLIXGTOX, Sent. 10. To-morrow a Bill in connection with the reform of the Legislative Council will be introduced in ihe House of Representatives by the Government. A statement on tlie subject was made by the Prime Minister this afternoon.

‘•The proposal of the Government in regard to the reform of the Legislative Council and the difficulty that lm.s occurred .therewith will be laid before the House of Representatives to-morrow.” he said. ‘ A Bill will be introduced, f want to make it perfectly clear that the Bill will not be on the lines of the Bill which was introduced in the Legisative Council. It will be on different lines altogether, hut it will have the same object in view—the reform of the Second Chamber.’'

Air Wilford, (Hutt) : Will it abolish the Council?

Sir' Joseph Ward (Avarua): Does it mean that there will be smaller electorates f

The Prime Minister : I am not going into details. Various speculations regarding the new Bill are circulating in the lobbies, but all of them will probably be found verv wide of the mark. At the presoot stage of the session it would be impossible to carry through both Houses such a measure as that which was rejected bv the'Legislative. Council.