Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, SEPT. 11, 1933. UPPER HOUSE REFORM

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 243, 11 September 1933, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, SEPT. 11, 1933. UPPER HOUSE REFORM

The reform of the New South Wales Legislative Council is now at hand. The measure providing for its election has been passed and immediately following the Royal assent being given the requisite procedure will be adopted. Efforts to hinder the Stevens Government from carrying into ’effect this much desired reform have been in vain. The Bill originated last year in the Upper House, which endorsed and sent it forward to the Lower Chamber. On its being passed the question was referred to the vote of the people who gave a convincing majority in favour of the amendment to the Constitution. The Chamber hitherto has been the only purely nominated Legislative Council left in Australia. With numbers unlimited, its members were appointed for life. The inherent defect of this system was that the party in power could control its voting. The Lang Government’s regime clearly showed the fundamental weaknesses of the system, and the scandal of that Administration left the firmest conviction that reform of the Legislative Council could not be delayed if it were to fulfill its proper functions of an advisory Chamber. Now with the people’s consent given, and the legislation completed, the old Chamber passes out of existence. The new Council will be of 60 members chosen by the Assembly and the old Council, voting as one electoral body but sitting for that purpose in their respective Chambers. It is provided that any elector, save a member of the Assembly, may be nominated for election to the new Council. Two members of either House of Parliament must nominate a candidate, and no member may sign as a nominator or seconder more than two nomination papers. The consequence is that the total possible number of candidates cannot exceed the total of members in both Houses. The procedure of election is that four batches of fifteen each will be chosen. The first fifteen will hold their seats for twelve years, the second for nine, the third for six, and the fourth for three years. The rotation provides for the return of one-quarter of the Council after each Assembly election, every periodical election to the Council being for twelve years’ membership. It will be conducted on the proportional representation system with a strictly secret ballot.

Many names have been mentioned of aspirants for seats in the new Council, but it has been emphasised all along that the Government’s desire is that it shall not become a party Chamber but one representative of the people. “That the nominee principle of constituting the Council endured for so long,” the Sydney Morning Herald saj T s, “resulted from the respect the Council had won and maintained as a Chamber of review, little affected by party strife in the Assembly, and bringing to the examination of Bills a calm and considered opinion which often repaired legislative excesses or omissions. Before abuse degraded it, the Council’s quality was consistently high.” It is the restoration of this latter condition that is sought in the new principle of election. It is interesting to note that the New South Wales Upper House will _ be greatly different from similar Chambers in the Commonwealth. The Federal Senate consists of 36 members, half of whom are elected by ordinary adult franchise every three years, except when a serious and prolonged disagreement with the House of Representatives may necessitate a double dissolution. In Vic-

toria there is a slight property qualification for membership of the Second Chamber, which is elected by householders. Queensland’s Upper House was abolished 11 years ago, and South Australia has a Council of 20 members, half of whom retire every three years. Western Australia’s second Chamber became elective in 1893 when the population reached 60,000; previously, it had been nominative. Tasmania has a similar system. The reform in New South Wales has excited the greatest possible interest for, as it has been stated, the revision of the Constitution lias contributed much to the restoration of public confidence in the future of the State administration.