TERMS EXPIRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24326, 17 June 1940, Page 11

TERMS EXPIRE

LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS MESSRS HANAN AND CARRINGTON (From Our Parliamentary Reporter; WELLINGTON, June 16. The appointments of Messrs J. A. Hanan and C. J. Carrington, as members of the Legislative Council will expire at midnight to-night. Both have served in. the council for 14 years. They were first appointed by the Coates Administration on June 17, 1926, and on the expiry of their original terms of appointment seven years later they ware reappointed by the Coalition Government. The Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) said in an interview to-night that the question of their reappointment or otherwise had not yet been considered. The retirement of Mr Hanan and Mr Carrington reduces the strength of the Council to 33. Though there is no arbitrary limit on the number of Legislative Councillors, the constitutional practice is to maintain the membership of the Council at approximately half that of the House of Representatives, which consists of 80 members. There have been rare occasions when more than 40 have sat in the Upper House, while a few years ago the strength of the Council was allowed to fall below 20. Twelve councillors are due to retire next year, Sir James Allen on June 1 and the others on June 22.