N.S.W. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 21 December 1925, Page 9

N.S.W. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

APPOINTMENT OF NEW MEMBERS PROTESTS FROM NEWSPAPERS. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT Received Dec. 21, 1.50 p.m. SYDNEY, Dec. 21. Both mprning papers strongly protest against the proposed swamping of the Legislative Council. The Herald says: “The position of the Governor in the matter is one of great difficulty. We are sure l;o hes not arrived at his decision without giving the mat ten .the consideration deserved, but we assert, with all due respect, that that decision should not have been made. We believe that it was not only an error of judgment in itself, but that it will assuredly prove the cause of grievous trouble in future. We can only register our protest against the decision which has made this deplorah’e consummation of the Government’s tactics possible, and believe we are voicing the opinion of the majority of our fellow-citizens.” The Telegraph describes it as debauching the Council, and adds: ‘‘This is what the representative of the Crown is asked to become a party to —the revolutionising of the Council —for there are men who would refuse to become responsible .for such an act, even though the consequences meant the resignation of the most coveted official position in the world. The proper course is to compel the Government, before attempting to destroy the constitution, to get considered mandateof the people for so doing. There are circumstances which invest even the actions of th Q Governor with a moral responsibility of which no official routine can relieve him.” APPOINTMENT OF NEW MEMBERS ABOLITION OF COUNCIL. STATE GOVERNORSHIP TO BE ABOLISHED. Received Dec. 21, 12.50 p.m. SYDNEY, Dec. 21. Mr. Lang, the State Premier, has been advised by the Governor that the latter will agree to the appointment of twenty-five new members to the Legislative Council. An Executive Council meeting will be held to-day or to-morrow, when the appointments will be made and the new members will be subsequently sworn in. Mr. Lang will approach the Governor to 7 day, and will submit thirty-five nominees and press for their appointment. Each, new member of the Council will be required to take a pledge that.he will vote for the abolition of the Council. A Bill- for this purpose is being brought down next session. A move also has been launched by a section of the Labour Party to abolish the office of State Governor when the present. Governor’s term expires. With the additional appointments to the Council, the Government will have an absolute majority of three in that Chamber.

BLOW AT CONSTITUTION EFFECT OF THE APPOINTMENTS. SYDNEY, Dec. 21. Mr. Bavin states that he could not bring himself to believe that such a staggering blow was to be struck at the constitution. The State Government had no shadow of a mandate for such legislation, and to make such an unprecedented number of appointments to the Council, merely to force through proposals which were not even supported by more than a small proportion of the pledged Labour representatives in the Upper House itself, would destroy the whole balance of the Constitution and enable the present Government to either abolish the Upper House or force upon the country any other wild and reckless programme which had not been sanctioned by the electors.