AT FELL STRENGTH.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 4 July 1929, Page 5

AT FELL STRENGTH.

LEGISLATIVE 'COUNCIL. . -NO APPOINTMENTS PENDING. (By Telegraph—Special to the Star.) WELLINGTON, July 3. It was generally expected that the new Government would make some appointments to the Legislative Council, but the session has opened and there is no sign of a decision. The fact, that this period has been reached without the appearance of fresh facts in the Upper House is fairly conclusive evidence that Sir Joseph Ward is practising his expressed opinion that the Council should be about half the strength of the elected House, which numbers eighty. While the Council at present slightly exceeds the Prime Minister’s idea of the proper quota, there is no statutory limits to the number of Legislative Councillors, but successive Governments have adhered fairly closely to the proportion mentioned, and it i.s generally conceded iu the lobbies * that the Government does not intend to make further appointments at present.

Councillors are nominated for a five year term and it happens that no reappointments become due this year. Sir Heaton Rhodes, the I-lon. Gemgc Witty ; the Hon. L. M. Isitt, who where appointed by the Coates Government in November, 1925, will be the first tc reach the end of their term. There , was a subsequent batch of appomt- ' inputs in June, 192 G, of the Hons. C. | J. Carrington, J. A. Hainan, T. S. Weston, while Sir Robert Stout '.an retiring from the position of Chief Justice. became a councillor iu September. 1926. and Sir James Allan, having served as High Commissioner, was appointed to the council on his return in June, 1927. The only appointment by the present Government i.s that of the Hon. T. K. Sidev, who joined the new Ministvv and became Leader of the. Upper House last December. Possibly the Government might have appointed to the council two or three former supporters who did not contest the last general election, but its chief difficulty is the number 'Of those with exceedingly good claims to consideration. Therefore, Sir Joseph Ward is evidently waiting patiently for the opportunity to arrive when if will be possible, without destroying the balance between the two houses, to make a substantial number of new 'Legislative Councillors.