The Northern Advocate MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1913. THE UPPER HOUSE.

Northern Advocate, 6 October 1913, Page 4

The Northern Advocate MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1913. THE UPPER HOUSE.

The Bill familiarly known as the Legislative Council Reform Bill has once more been smitten unto death and so far no evidence is forthcoming of any particularly keen public regret at the incident. Indeed the community has grown rather tired of this Bill, for two reasons, one being that its machinery was understo<*f),by very few people and the other that the Government's tactics with the measure had grown rather bewildering. There is no doubt a general belief that the Legislative Council should be reformed and to this extent the Government has the support of the constituencies, but this belief is more or less a mere vague impression. It is certainly not based upon any widespread acceptance of an alternative scheme of selection and obviously, between a public opinion of this loose, fluid character and the Bill submitted by the Ministry for redemption of election pledges there exists very wide opportunities for differences of opinion. How many citizens are there, it can be not improperly asked, who at last general election voted to support "Reform of the> Legislative Council" had in their minds any such measure as has lately been under discussion Not a dozen at the very outside. How many also realised that "Reform of the Council" would involve not only making an immense constitutional change but also necessitate a fundamental readjustment of the electoral system and that this would be approached piece-meal instead of as one general problem? For ourselves we are satisfied that the Legislative Council in again rejecting the "Reform Bill" acted wisely. There is no public demand for the Bill —there is not even a fairly general understanding of its provisions and effects —and it is more than doubtful if the Bill could find passage through the Lower House. The idea of legislating upon the question of popular representation in the Upper Chamber prior to determining the electoral system on which the House of Representatives s to rest can scarcely be accepted as rational. To do so must inevitably lead to confusion and uproar. Bad as the existing method of recruiting the Legislative Council may be—and our own belief is that the system deserves the most profound disrespect —it can very well be allowed to remain until the Government has applied itself to the obligation of ensuring to the people a representation that is real in the Chamber which really governs the country.