THE H.B. TRIBUNE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1933 "REFORMING” THE LORDS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 300, 2 December 1933, Page 6

THE H.B. TRIBUNE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1933 "REFORMING” THE LORDS.

The conservative spirit that pervades polities in British communities is in no way better instanced than in the. constitution of what are still called “Upper” Houses in both British and some of the self-governing dominion Parliaments. From time to time we have had movements more or less serious for “reform” in this respect, but in most cases without any immediate result. So far as concerns the British House of Lords the subject was some couple of months back revived in that chamber itself by Lord Pon sonby, who, however, sought to extend the reform movement to the Legislature as a whole. With the reassembly of Parliament for a new session we have the question again brought forward in the House of Lords, and to-day we have word that an “unofficial” committee of both Houses has decided that a reform Bill will be introduced at an early date. This is to provide for a House of 300 members, of whom half shall be elected by the general body of hereditary peers and half in a manner to be determined by the House of Commons. It may very well be doubted as to whether this proposal will meet with any very general approval, as the hereditary element will doubtless, in these democratic days, be considered altogether too strong. There will, however, be opportunity given for further free discussion that may result in some effective action being taken.

Probably the most notable previous effort towards bringing about some much needed change was that made some fifteen or sixteen years ago by a conference of thirty members drawn in equal numbers from both Houses and presided over by Lord Bryce. This conference went very painstakingly and thoroughly about its task, but so divergent were the views entertained that it was found impracticable even to make any formal report. The chairman, however, communicated to the then Prime Minister what he had found to be at least majority agreement on various points that had been considered. A Cabinet committee then took the subject up and adopted certain proposals that were in 1922 put before the House of Lords and there debated for several days,, but again without any practical result. Since then various further vain attempts have been made to secure consideration for what is fully recognised everywhere, and not least in the Uppei' House itself, as being a matter that demands serious attention. Whether there will be any more definite outcome than heretofore from the present endeavour remains to be seen.

In our own case, we here in New Zealand would seem to have been almost equally reluctant to cut adrift from the purely nominative system that has held ever since the right of self-government was conferred upon us. It is true that no less than nineteen years ago, on what proved to be the eve of the Great War, a measure was actually passed providing for an elective Legislative Council, based upon four big electorates with a system of preferential voting. This was to come into force in 1916, but war conditions

dictated a postponement of its operation, so it was amended to take effect upon the issue of an Order-in-Couneil. There the matter has stood ever since, none of the successive Governments of the interval earing to take the step indicated. However, those in close touch with political affairs profess to see signs of some early move being made, but whether along the lines of the existing legislation appears to be altogether in doubt. In the meantime we have had New South Wales adopting an entirely different plan. Under it the two Houses combined are constituted into something of an electoral “college,” upon which devolves the duty of choosing for the people their representatives in an Upper House of sixty members. Elections in batches of fifteen each are now in progress, two of them having been actually completed. It may quite possibly be that our own Government has some notion of considering a like scheme for the Dominion. In any event, the time is most opportune for bringing about a change, since membership of the present Council has, with seeming deliberation, been allowed to fall to a lower number than ever before, so low, indeed, as to make the proper functioning of the chamber almost unworkable.