VICTORIAN COUNCIL REFORM BILL

Southland Times, Issue 23379, 10 December 1937, Page 5

VICTORIAN COUNCIL REFORM BILL

REFERENDUM POSSIBLE (Received December 9, 10.10 p.m.) MELBOURNE, December 9. After abortive conferences between members of both Houses of the Legislature over the amendments to the Constitution Reform Bill by the Legislative Council, the Bill was returned to the Council, which insisted upon the amendments. The Bill will be returned to the Assembly next week. The Minister of Health (Sir John Harris) warned the Council that by insisting on the amendments it was jeopardizing its position, and mentioned the possibility of the matter being referred to the people by a referendum.

If the Assembly rejects the Council’s amendments, the Council may agree on a simple majority to the Assembly’s rejection of them and t.ie Bill thus would become law in its original form. It was to avoid this position that the Council decided to ask for a conference with representatives of the Assembly before a vote was taken on the third reading. Last session the voting on the third reading in the Upper House was 16 for and 13 against—two short of the statutory majority necessary.

Only nine amendments have been made to the Reform Bill by the Council, including four new clauses, three of which have been accepted by the Government.