LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21295, 23 September 1932, Page 9

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

NEW SOUTH WALES BILL PROPOSALS FOR REFORM Sydney, se.pt. 22 The New South Wales Legislative Council at a late sitting carried the second reading of' the bill for the reform of that Chamber by 53 votes to 25. The former Agent-General, Mr. A. C. Willis, urged tho withdrawal of the bill. If it was passed, he said, Labour would never get a majority in the Chamber and a referendum on the proposed reform without any alternative would fail. MEASURE DESCRIBED PROVISION FOR REFERENDUM PROPOSED ELECTIVE CHAMBER [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT] SYDNEY, Sept. 15 Final details of the Legislative Council .Reform Bill, now before the Parliament of New South Wales, show that the plan has been taken broadly from that recommended in 1918, by the Second Chamber Conference, under Viscount Bryce, in Britain, for the reform of the House of Lords. New South Wales is the only State which retains the nominee system. Tho Upper House in New South Wales, following on tho additional appointments made every time there has been a change of Government, has reached farcical proportions. Numerically it is now considerably stronger than the Legislative Assembly, and is more or less unwieldy. The Stevens Government has just increased the number by 19, and will now have a majority, providing there is always a full attendance. Under tho new bill, which must be approved by the people at a referendum, the membership of the Council will be limited to 60, elected by the members of both Houses, voting as one electoral, body, but recording their votes separately. The system of eloctiori will be proporrepresentation. In adapting that system of voting to the scheme it is provided that the transferable surplus from a successful candidate —that is, tho surplus over and abovo tho quota - required for election—will bo one vote. That one vote will bo divided among other in proportional fractions of one vote. Tho term of office of a Legislative Councillor will bo 12 years, and one-fourth of the llouso will retire every three years. The 60 members who are elected for the first constitution of the Legislative Council are to be elected in four batches of 15 each. Nominations will be taken once for all, as though the 60 were to be elected in one batch. At the first of the four elections 15 will be selected, and the candidates for the second election will consist of tho candidates for the first election less the 15 who have been elected. A similar practice will be appliod to tho third and fourth election. _ln order to secure the rotationary retirement of one-fourth of the Council every three years, tho candidates elected at the first of the four elections will sit for 12 years; at the second of tile elections for nine years; at the third six years; and afc the fourth throe years. Thereafter, all candidates elected will have a term of service of 12 years, except those elected to fill casual vacancies, whose term of service is to end with tho term of the member replaced. Provisions are included restricting the number of nominations that may be macle by any of tho electors, that is, by any member of the Legislative Assembly or the Legislative Council. These provisions are designed to prevent a person from nominating a flood of candidates. It is proposed that for the first new Council 110 such elector may sign as nominator or seconder more than two nomination forms; and that at subsequent elections no elector shall sign more than one.