ABOLITION BILL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 22 January 1926, Page 7

ABOLITION BILL.

EXTRA EDITION.

INITIATIVE REFERENDUM AND RECALL. MACHINERY TO BE PROVIDED. BY CABLE —PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT. Received Jan. 22, 11.58 a.m. SYDNEY, Jan. 22 In the Legislative Council, during the debate on the Abolition of Council Bill, Dr. Wall, Mr Robson and Sir Joseph Carruthers asked Mr Willis, Vice-Pre-sident of the Council, if the Bill would actually include the initiative, referendum and recall. Mr Willis said he had no doubt that machinery to 'make the proposal effective would he provided before the Bu was assented to. Dr. Wall .voted with the Government on the motion to introduce the Bill, but intimated that he would not vote for the Government on this occasion unless the proposal to estabUsh the initiative, .referendum and recall was included in the Bill. The point previously raised by Sir Joseph Carruthers was that the Bill was oi/t of order because it was at variance with a. section of the Constitution >Act, which conferred a charter of self-government on the people of the State, and which inter alia, “that the Legislature may by Act (filter the laws in force concerning the Council. He contended that the word “alter” restricted power to alteration and not to substitution. He quoted dictionaries to show that “alter” meant to make a change in something, without changing that something into something else. He said the clause further limited any alteration of the constitution of the Upper Chamber to nomination or election.

COUNCIL MUST GO. MRI. LANG ITeMPHiATIC. Received Jan. 22, 12.30 p.m. SYDNEY*. Jan. 22.

The State Premier, Mr. Lang, replying to a deputation representing the Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Manufacturers, and the Employers’ Federation, said that the abolition of the Legislative Council had been a plank in the Labour Party platform since the party came into existence. If, at the next election, the people showed their disapproval of- the Government’s action, the next administration would be quite able to establish] the revising chamber. Mr. Lang said that the abolition of the Upper House would he <a step towards the policy of decentralisation for which he stood. The Premier added: —“The sooner Provincial Councils replace- State Parliaments the better,” and concluded by saying “if the Council does not go to-day. it must go next week, or as soon as possible.” ATTITUDE OF ROMAN CATHOLICS OPOPSED TO ABOLITION. Received Jan. 22. 2.10 p.m. SYuNTD'EiY, Jan. 22. Among other controversial points raised in connection with the abolition of the Legislative Council was how far "V*the Labour platform pledge in favour '4 ,pf abolition bound the Roman Catholic members of the Upper .House. Archbishop Kelly, in a signed communication to the Press says that he lias been asked to express an opinion on -abolition, and adds: “We say that if the Law is the dictate of reason spoken by authority for the common good, we must regard the second chamber as hide spe ns able for the proper enactment of the law. Our experience to- date confirms this. An attempt to amputate one arms of the Constitution is not warranted by a special mandate of the people and is an unjustifiable breach of trust. We -speak independently of all parties.”