The Legislative Council.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4761, 29 September 1893, Page 3

The Legislative Council.

TO THI EDITOR. Sip,— The action of the Legislative Council in rejecting one of tho best Billa passed by the Lower House this session— lam referring, sir, to the Land for Settlements Act A mendtnent Bill — and other Bills sent up by the Government and the Liberal party, is simply ignoring tbe will of the people. Tbe Government should make fre=h calls to the nominated Chamber at once, to secure a majority of fair-minded men to carry -the laws passed by the voice of the people through their representatives andthe Government. This Bill was one that would have benefited all parts of the Colony, but more especially Canterbury, which has so little land to settle the people upon within an easy distance from town. These would-be Lords have sealed their own fate, .which will be nothing short ot the doing, away with the Upper House entirely. I even differ from my friends who believe in an elective Upper Chamber. I neither believe in that or an elective Governor*— the first because I think that we are by far too much over-governed already. We want no Upper House ; .it is anoedlesß waste of expenditure 'that the Colony cannot afford at the present. time. All Bills passed by the House of Eepresentatives have a pretty severe handling, Anyone who takes tho trouble to read Parliamentary debates in Hansard can ea.ily-aee for himself that when Bills have passed their third reading, and the various Committees, they are pretty well threshed out; The so-called check to hasty legislation means allowing a lot of old fossils to undo good work that has taken months cf hard work of good, honest, earnest men to frame. This Colony could bs made the brightest spot on earth. You Liberals have the ball at your feet; use ifc, then, while there is yet time. Eemember .tb-J ballotbox,- remember unity is strongth. I would also like to see a Bill passed reducing the number of M.H.B.'s. throughout the Colony to at least half the present number. This, with the wiping out of the Upper House would indeed be true reform, and an earnest endeavour to set 1 our house in order. Another very i popular Bill the Eailway Bill introduced i by the Premier has also beon killed by the Upper House. Are the Commissioners bo very popular that the M_L.C/a shonld j throw oub this useful Bill that the people ! demand ? My objection.^) electing Goveri nors ie that it would b~3 severing our con- ■ nection with old England, which we oannot ' afford to do in this matter. One more word 1 and I have done. Look at the miserable 1 pittance year by yeaivset down for Canteri bury in the Public Wqrkg Statement ■ against the enormous expenditure in other paxts of the Colony.— l am, &_., I J. JULIUS. PABKEB, I ' Caehel street.