MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD. POHANGINA GAZETTE. Circulation, 3,000 Copies Daily. SATURDAY, MARCH 19th, 1904. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7794, 19 March 1904, Page 4

MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD. POHANGINA GAZETTE. Circulation, 3,000 Copies Daily. SATURDAY, MARCH 19th, 1904. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The recant condemnation of the Upper House by the Premier is decidedly amusing. He has told the people of the colony that " the time has come for a change in our Constitution; that the Legislative Council has not provided a check to hasty legislation, nor has it been a revisory Chamber; that it is cumbersome and a waste of time and money and that what ia wanted is an Advisory Committee, which would do more in perfecting our laws than all the Councils put together." All this is very interesting, and to a stranger it would seem that Now Zealand's Prime Minister is thirsting to bring our Constitution to tha highest state of perfection, but that he is impeded in his efforts to secure such a laudable reforzn. The cream of the joke, however, is that Mr Ssddon has done more than any othor man in New Znaland to render the J Upper House weak and ineffective. As a revising chamber its usefulness baa been destroyed by the number of ignoramuses he has placed there—men -who do not possess ordinary ability, but whose passport was service rendered the present Government during elections. The pebplo aro nol blind to facts such as the3e, and it is no wonder they are amused at the Premier's latest ideas regarding Upper Housa reform At tho same time an improvement in the status of the Lagialative Council would be heartily welcomed, and taking advantage of the feeling existing throughout the country in this respect Mr Seddon has made a proposal to pubs:ttute for the Council an Advisory Council. That course is very accfipteble to Mr Seddon, but it will not msris the ap proval of the great bulk of the elector. Whataver the faults of the Legislative Council are, ita deliberations are conducted in a public manner and are always open to criticism. If the .Upper House were abolished and an Advisory Committee set up, the latter would, no doubt; comprise the particular friends of the Premier, very little would bo known concerning its work, and Mr Seddon would have the power h9 is yearnin° for—to place un the Statute Book legia lation which hehas so far not succeeded in getting passed. This new proposal of, Mr Seddon's needs to be be carefully watched. If he is anxiom to reform the Upper House lot,him at the oarliest possible time place in that chamber men with brains, ability and energy, irrespective of their political opinions. If that were done New Zealand, in the course of time, would possess an Upper House which would be arsvisiag chamber in the true sense of the term, and which would be a credit to the colony.