The Opunake Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1896. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Opunake Times, Volume V, Issue 232, 24 November 1896, Page 2

The Opunake Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1896. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Supporters of the Government are making a great song of the Conservative element in the Upper House, whioh they allege prevents the Government giving full scope to their legislative abilities. We have taken the trouble to go through the Parliamentary Blue Book, 1895, and have found the following complete answer to such statements. There are 44 members in the Legislative Council. Of these 17 have been appointed at various times during tbe 80 years between 1861 and 1891 by the Conservative side of the House. The other 27 have been appointed by the Liberal Governments. We therefore fail to see what the Governmeuthas to complain of when three-fifths of " another place" is made up of their own nominees. It might be argued that some of these have been converted, and are no longer supporters of the Government policy. Such is no doubt the case, but on the other baud have none of those appointed by the Conservatives ever turned color in " another place" to compensate for this defection. The Government supporters' argument is that the Conservative Councillors have been nominated on account of their money-bags, whilst the Liberal Councillors have been selected on account of their ascertained brain power and sterling honesty of purpose. If this be correct, then it does not say much for the brain power of those who selected them, when these nominees find their benefactors' proposals so wild that they cannot swallow, them. There is one little fact that might be worth mentioning as a kiud of sedative for the perfervid supporters of the Government when they undertook to enlighten the public, viz.: That during the last four years the present administration has put 16 of the preseut number of Councillors into their cozy quarters, whilst only 17 of the present Council have been put in by the Conservatives in 85 years. Government supporters, put that in your pipe and smoke it I Any one who wishes to see the dates of appointments, &c, of all the Legislative Councillors, and also full particulars of the Governments in power when such appointments were made, can do so on application at our office.