LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BILL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16752, 21 July 1916, Page 3

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BILL

THE ELECTIVE SYSTEM. FURTHER POSTPONEMENT. (Peb United Press Association ) ( WELLINGTON. Julv 20. In the LegisLitne Council this afternoon the Hon. Sit* Francie Bell moved the «ceond leading of iho Legislative Council Act Amendment Bill. < He traced the history of the Act, and said that Mr Massey anel the Reform party were of tho firm opinion that it should bo made tlio law of tho land. They weie as determined in 1916 as they were in 1912. After two rejections the Bill became law in 1914. Men had been called to the Council whoso -\iews weio known to bo m sympathy with the Government on this question, but no pledge had been asked for. Tho date of tho coming into opei.ition of tho Act had been advanced w> as to pcimit of any other Government that mi<rht have been elected making any change it considered necessary. Tho election resulted in a majoiity of one for tho Government. The war then developed, and the National Government was formed in the interests of the country. lie was disappointed that the experiment would not be in.ulo next year, but as a lmtter of fair play to both sndes it could not be made until aftor a general election. That \\,>s übv it was proposed to amend tho Act bv (substituting the first elay of .lanuaiy, 1920, for the first of January, 1916. Evetv member who assented to the forming of the National Government was bound to support the arrangements. Unless an agreement had been made between the leaders of tho two political parties it would not have been possible to have- formed tho Nat'onal Government. Tho Hon. Mr Baar moved an amendment to tho effect that tlio Act of 1914 be icpealed. Ho referred to tho Act as a favourite spoiled child of the leader. Latt year it had to bo put back in tho cradle m its ft\v addling clothes, now it had to be put back again for another four je.irs. Would it not bo wiser, lie asked, to put tho poor thing out of its misery at once? Ho argued against an elective second chamber, and contended Ihat it would be preferable to repeal tho Act rather than to postpone it. * Thei Hon. Mr Paul expressed himself as being in favour of an elective Upper Houze. He said he believed tho National Government was, as it muM> be, a. buhvaik of conservatism. Ho disliked the Bill, but would vote for it. Tho postponement of the Act was necessary as part_ of tho bargain mado between tho parties, but tho making' of that baigain was a betraval of the democracy of this country. Tlio Hon. Mr Wigrom F.iid he would oppose the pmendment Ho -understood that, party politics were to be kept in_ the background during tho life of tho National Government. The Hon. Mr Magmnity supported the second reading of the Bill. Ho said the puibuing of tho measure would koep faith with tho other political part}. Tho Hon. Mr Mooio said he looked on the Bill as a natural sequence of tho pievious legislation on the subject Tho Hon. Mr Carbon defended tho formation of the National Government, and asked what else could have boon done, especially as tho Cabinet was composed of tho rWt men oil both sides. lie had supported tlio piinciplo of the election of tlio Council for manv vcars. and ho hoped to sec it iho law of tho country. Tho lion. Kir W. Hall-Jones nndidlv confessed that ho did not like tho Bill, and a^ked. Why tho postponement until 1920' , lie" believed an arrangement could have been mado between the two parties in th" Cabinet, which wps called a Government, but which he cillcd a. coalition. Ho would voto for tho maintenance of tho piesent position. Tho Hon. Mr Bcchan said ho 'would voto for fio amendment. Ho favoured the nominotivo sv-tein. ']he Hon. M'- -Tones moved tlio ad inurnment of the debate. The motion was earned, and the Council tos" at 4 55 p m