REFORM BILL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 111, 13 May 1933, Page 9

REFORM BILL

N.S.W. VOTE TO-DAY INTENSE CAMPAIGNING LABOUR AND ANTI-LABOUR USE OF THE UPPER HOUSE (By Telegraph—Press Asiaciation—Copyright) Received May 12, 10.5 p.m. S YDN EY, May .12. The electors of New eouth Wales to-morrow will be called upon tu vote upou a referendum for the reform of the Legislative Council, fpr which there has been intense campaigning by the Stevens Government and considerable opposition by tfee Labour Party led by Mr. Lang. The Reform Bill provides that the Legislative Council of the future shah consist of 60 members, each holding office for 12 years, and one fourth will be retired at the end of each three years. They are to be elected by members of Parliament for the time being on a basis of proportional representation. Thus the old order of things, under which that chamber could be swamped with the Domineer of either party, passes Another important provision in thf Reform Bill is the proviso for a referendum of the people on any measure on which there is a Parliamentary disagreement and deadlock. The Lang Party claims that an affirmative vote by the electors will dispel the rights of Democracy for all time and will enable the anti-Labonr Government to set up a Dictatorship and keep Labour out of office indefinitely. They say that it will prevent the will of the people being given effect to. The Government’s supporters, on th* r ther hand, have argued that the usefulness of the present Upper House aw i>. deliberative revisionary chamber has already been destroyed by the precedents Mr. Lang established by trying to force consecutive governors* tn acknowledge that his Ministers had the right to interpret their own mandat* and also the right of swamping that chamber in order to force legislation through Parliament.