LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 37

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

lhe Loa«iitution oi this country is a replica, with modifications to suit the conditions of a young colony, of that of Great I Britain. In the settlement and development j that goes on anace there aro naturally , greater changes legislatively in a colony i like this than are required" in a country which dates its history back for centuries, and it is not unatural that many people of New Zealand should think that the Le-gis-i latiye Council should be reformed, and j various suggestions have been made with i Ihis object in view. The matter is one j which should be thought out calmly and j dispassionately, and the circumstances of I the hour should not without mature consideration cause hasty steps to be taken j which many, even amongst the most ardent | advocates for reform, might afterwards be> ■ glad to retrace. — (Applause.) I have always believc-d that the bicameral system is the most suited to the requirements of a young country, and I still hold the same opinion. j In the Lower House, where strong feeling i if frequently engendered, there have in 1 the past on jnany occasions been proposals . contained in legislation with the best of intentions which, if passed, might have resulted in serious injury to the colony. In. the more serene atmosphere of the Council the members there have, with an absence of that feeling to which I have alluded, reviewed the proposals calmly, and the rnosfc ! prejudiced opponent of that branch is bound to admit that on many occasions they have carried out lhat work of review with considerable advantage to the colony. — CApplause.) In the history of the Council itself it is beyond all question that its members have at times been out of touch with the desires of the people. This has very soon, however, rectified itself, as that body, upon being satisfied that mature public opinion was behind a proposal, has passed measures which it had previously ! rejected. A striking illustration of this is j to be found in tho land legislation introi duccd by the late Sir John M'EJenzie. A' reference to the records will show that tho council was strongly opposed to some of the progressive proposals contained in Sir John's Land Bills, but tfter appeal to the* country the Council adapted itself to publia opinion which was behind the reform advocated. There are many other instances that it is unnecessary to refer to. Some people in the colony ask for a complete abolition of the Upper House, while others ask for an elective Upper House; but ifc seems to me that if an elective Upper House on a broad franchise were estab- ; lished the logical sequence to such a pro- ! posal should undeniably be its abolition, as J the same people, even though a larger i electorate were given, would return their representatives to both Houses. If that; view is a correct one, as 1 hold that it is, thon there is no obvious reason, if such a. change were considered necessary, why the same people should not return representatives to ono Chamber, unless the advocates of the electoral system desire to have ay restricted franchise for the Upper House, which in a democratic country would! ' not, I am certain, be a*»ented to ; by the people. — (Applause.) I believe ifc ! would be a mistake to go for either aboli- | tion or for an elective Uprer House, and j that if any reform is to be put into effect; I ifc should be in the direction of election by the House of Representatives itself. In thai* way the usefulness and independence of thesecond branch of our Constitution would be> assured, and it would be removed from the ,j position .of being buffeted about between ! contending political parties as in some cases, unfortunately, it has been in the past j for party purposes. — (Applause.) I think ifc is only right to add that, removed from the ! arena of prejudice, the work of the Legislative Council in recent years has not justified some of the strong remarks that have i been made against it. II has been cusj tomary to heai" reflections made upon. j individual members; but my personal cx- , pcrience has been that tho members of thafe ! body have endeavoured to do an important work devolving upon them in an honourable and upright manner. Whatever is done in the direction of reform should ho quite impersonal, and I have little doubt that the good sense of aJI parties in this country will, if a change in the present system is considered necessary, combine in producing- the best results posihlc.— (Applause.)