LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16766, 7 August 1916, Page 2

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTION.

QUESTION OF POSTPONEMENT. DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. In the House of Representatives on Saturday afternoon the Prime Minister moved the second reading of tho Legislative Council Act Amendment Bill, lie explained that the' Bill proposed to postpone the election of tho Council tor four yeaxs This cooirso was decided upon for two reasons. Fiist, that tho original Act dealt with it in an extremely technical manner, and when th« National Cabinet was formed it was agreed that it should be held over until further amendments could be made. Second, there was a considerable difference of opinion as to tho principle of tho Act, and before last election he (Mr Maseej) had promised that he would givo the llouso an opportunity of reconsidering it before it came into operation. That promise was given to both sides of tho House, and, he believed, it aocounted for tho number of votes given in favour of the Bill. Ho had no wish to' depart from his promise, but ho asked members to say whether they were now in a fit condition to receive technical matters connected with proportional representation. Personally, he was not prepared to undertake the ta s k, and he did not think members personally weio any more inclined to do so than he was. It was proposed to keep tho door open to nominate membeis till January 1, 1920. The first election of tho Council would take place in 1921, when 24 members would Lo electcd. Tho sccond election would be held in 1927, but the question arose as to what would happen between the years 1924- and 1925. His opinion was that with tho elected members, the nominated members who still remained and tho life members of tho Council would consist of about 30 members in 1927, which he thought was as many members as it had ever consisted of He had no idea how difficult it was to carry out an election on the system of proportional representation until he consulted with an expeit who had visited the dominion two years ago; but the Government had sent an official to Tasmania to attend tho last elections there, and ho had brought back a great deal of information which could bo availed of later on. The fact was that tho last election had revealed a great many weaknesses, and the whole matter of representation in that House would have to bo the subject of considerable amendment before another election was held. Mr Payne said liis first choice was to have no Legislative Council at all, but ho had no particular objection to this Bill if future appointments to the Council were made for a shorter period than seven years, so that there would not be the spectacle of a partly elected and a partly nominated Council sitting together. Mr M"Combs said ho regretted this interference with the Legislative Council Act which he regarded as the greatest electoral ieform that was ever effected by any Government in power in New Zealand, doing away, ai, it did, with the power of patronage, which had been so evilly used by every party in power in this country. Mr Hindmarsh contended that many of tho appointments made to tho Legislative Council were so utterly bad that any system of proportional representation or misrepresentation was better than the continuation of the nominative system. He criticised the appointments made, and declared that the Prime Minister was worse than Sir Joseph Ward in missing the golden opportunities m appointing men of mark to the Council. Owing to the low view of duty held by the heads of the parties in New Zealand, he preferred any system to nomination. Ho hoped no man whoso sole claim was that he contributed to the party funds would be appointed for the future. Mr Webb adversely criticised the Bill as postponing the experiment of propoitional representation. Mr Arstevsaid the proper thing to do was to reiect this Bill, repeal tho Act of 1914, and stait de novo. Tho x\ot in question was quite unworkable in its present form. Mr Wilford asked the Prime Minister to say whether future appointments to thq Council would be made by the Prime Minister, by Sir Joseph Ward, or by both. Mr Massey stated that appointments would be made by the National Cabinet. Tho Bill was read a second time on the voiccs. IN OOMMITTEE. AN AMENDMENT DEFEATED. When tho House went mto committee on the Bill. Mr M'Combs stated that by 1921 all tho present nominated 1 members would have exhausted their term of appointment, and only life members would be remaining. If future appointments were made, ho urged that thev should be inado terminable at that date, and not m 1924. Then tho field would be clear for holding an election at which the whole 40 member.-- could bo chosen, and the Council be made wholly elected. Tho Prime Minister said ho could not accept the proposal. Mr M'Combs moved in this direction, but the amendment was lost on the voices. Tho Bill was reported from committee without amendment, read a third time, and passed.