STUFFING THE COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 22 December 1925, Page 9

STUFFING THE COUNCIL.

Mr Lang’s Appointments. APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR. By Cable —Press Association —Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association Received Dec. 21, 5.55 p.m. SYDNEY, Dec. 20. The Governor to-day signed a ninute for the appointment of twenty-five Labour nominees to the Legislative Council. The Premier (Mr J. T. Lang) stated that the published reports that he Government intended to abolish he office of State Governor were entirely without foundation. Concerning the suggested abolition of the Legislative C'nncil, Mr Lang said at present there are only .teen members of the Legislative Council upon whose votes the Government can rely. With an additional twenty-five appointees, the Government will have a reliable voting strength of only forty in a House of ninety-nine. LABOUR IN THE LORDS.

GOVERNOR’S ACTION CRITICISED. By Cable —Press Association —Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. S\”DNEY T , December 21. Mr Lang lias been advised by the Governor that the latter will agree to the appo.ntment of 25 new members of tlie Legis.ative Council. An Executive Council meeting will be held to-day or to-monow when tlie appointments will be made, and the new members subsequently sworn in. Air Lang will approach tlie Governor to-day and will submit 35 nominees and press for their appointment. Each new member of the Council will be required to take a p edge that he will vote for the Abolition oi the Council, a Bill for this purpose being brought down next session. A move lias also been launched by a section of the Labour Party to abolish the office of State Governor when the present Governor’s term expires. With the additional appointments to the Council, the Government will have an absolute majority of three m that Chamber. Staggering Blow. Mr T. R. Bav’n states that be could not bring to believe that such a staggering blow was to be struck at the constitution. The State Government had no shadow of a mandate for such. legislation or to make such an unprecedented number of appointments to the Council merely to force through pronosals which were not even supported by more than a small, proportion of the pledged labour representatives m the Upper House itself. It would destroy the whole balance of the constitution and ennb'e the present Government to either abolish the, Upper House or force upon the country a wild and reckless programme which had not,been sanctioned by the electors. Lively Press Comment. Both morning papers strongly protest against the proposed swamping of the Legislative Council. The “Herald” says: “The position of the Governor in the matter is one of great difficulty. We are s-ure he has not arrived at his decision without giving the matter the consideration it deserved, hut w© assert with respect that that decision should not have been made. We believe that it was not only an error, of judgment in itself, but will assuredly prove the cause of trouble in the future. _AVe can on!y_ register our protest against the decision which has made this deplorable consummation of the Government’s tactics possible, nnd believe we are voicing tlie opinion of , the majority of otir fellow citizens.”

‘ The “Telegraph” describes it as debauching the Council, and adds: “This is what the representative of the Crown is asked to become—a party to tlie revolutionising of the Council, for there are men who would refuse to become responsible rfor such an net, even though the consequences meant the resignation of tho most coveted official position in the world. The proner course is to compel the Government before attempting to destroy tho constitution to get a considered mandate of the peoolo. For so doing there are circumstances which invest even the actions of the Governor with moral responsibility, of which no official routine can relieve him.” Hundreds of Place-seekers. There were originally over 300 applicants for appointment to the Legislative Council. These were reduced to 147, including 19 women. ' , Three ballots, the first of which excluded all women, were required to se’eet 35, whoso names Air Lang will suhmit to tho Governor. They are mostly ex-Labour members, Parliamentary candidates nnd Union officials. . The selection of a few non-indus-trialists is resented in Labour circles, and provides uossible grounds for sectional hurtib‘t : ps.