THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS.

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 160, 26 August 1892, Page 2

THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS.

In a final despatch to the Secretary of State for the Colonies from Lord Glasgow his Excellency points out that after the general election a new Ministry introduced a measure which it thinks will be popular, besides that which they were returned to carry ont, and which the Legislative Council throws out. The Ministry advises the Governor to appoint sufficient Legislative Councillors to overcome the opposition in ihe Chamber. The result -would be, Lord Glasgow argues, that the Council is coerced, the measures are passed and the people come under a law to which they may object, and on which they have not been consulted. His Excellency then makes these pronounced observations : ‘ The two Houses of New Zealand Parliament possess each at present absolute freedom of speech, but under the proposed change the liberty of the Legislative Couucil would be at the mercy ot the Ministry. The consent of both Chambers/is now necessary before a measure can receive the Govenor’s assent. Should the measure be thrown out, it is open to the Ministers to appeal to the country. Thereafter, if the Legislative Council were -£o disregard the wishes of the electorates as expressed at polls, sufficient emergency would have then arisen to j ustify the Governor in granting a Ministry sufficient number of appointmeuts to briug the Upper House into harmony with the country. This is, I submit, constitutional practice, and it is more in accordance with the principles of freedom that the people should be the ultimate court of appeal in any difference between the Chambers than that the power should rest with Ministers. The difference between the number declined by the Ministers and the number they would accept was

so small that I could not think the reasons given were sufficient for this action, and they were so incommensurate with the gravity of the step they took in creating a difference with the Governor, that I felt convinced that much more cogent reasons should, be given than I have yet heard before I would be justified in accepting the advice tendered by Ministers.”