THE UPPER HOUSE

Southland Times, Issue 21578, 16 December 1931, Page 6

THE UPPER HOUSE

9 ILEMBEES RETIRING TERMS EXPIRE NEXT MAY HON. A. F. HAWKE INCLUDED In May next the Legislative Council of the Parliament of New Zealand will lose nine of its members, their terms of seven years being up. Of these, five are resident in the Auckland province, and four in the South Island. In October of next year three Canterbury members' terms will be up, so that the strength of the council, which normally is about 40, will be reduced to a little over 20. It is possible that some of the retiring members may be reappointed, but the Government’s attitude on the question is not known yet. The five Auckland councillors who are to retire in May are the Hons. E. W. Alison, G. J. Garland, W. H. Triggs, J. B. Gow and W. Stewart. The South Islanders are the Hons. Sir John Sinclair, D. T. Fleming and G. M. Thomson (all of Otago) and A. F. Hawke (Southland). in Octo-, ber the Hons. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, L. M. Isitt and G. Witty (Canterbury) will vacate their seats. In the last few months, through the effluxion of time, the Hons. Sir Frederick Lang, F. Mander. V. H. Reed and E. Newman have retired from the council. Aho there have been some vacancies caused by death. There is no limit to the number of Legislative Councillors, but the strength of the council is usually kept round about 40, though, in the interests of economy, the Government may curtail the list of new nominees next year.

There is provision in the New Zealand law for the election of the Upper House, but, though it is on the Statute Book, and has been amended once or twice, the legislation has never been put into effect. It could be put into effect at any time if Par liament so desired. The Act states:—-

For election purposes the Dominion will be divided into four divisions, and at the first election of the Council the number of members will be seven each for the first two divisions (the North Island) and five each for the third and fourth (the South Island). At every election after the first 40 members are to bo elected, 22 from the North Island and 18 from the South. The first election is to be held simultaneously with the first election of the House of Representatives tfter the passing of the Act. The second and succeeding elections are to be held simultaneously with the election of members of the House held next after the expiration of five years from the succeeding council poll. Voting quaiifi :ati >ns for electors will be the same as for the election of the Lower House. Any man entitled to be elected to the House may stand for the Council, but a man may not be a member of the House and the Council simultaneously.

If there is a vacancy in the Council after its election the Council itself may ballot for the member to fill the vacancy, so that there will be no bv-elcctions.