REFORM RATHER THAN ABOLITION ADVOCATED

Wanganui Chronicle, 20 July 1950, Page 5

REFORM RATHER THAN ABOLITION ADVOCATED

WELLINGTON, Last Night (PA). —The task allotted to us throughout the year is to give earnest and diligent attention to legislation and to see that it is in the interests of the people,” said Hon. David Wilson, in the Legislative Council this afternoon, when defending the Council’s part in the government of the country. Mr. Wilson was Leader of the Council for the past three years. He mentioned that it was the duty of the Council to improve, if possible, the 1 legislation submitted to it, and to check the Government if it appeared, to be exceeding its mandate from the people. “The Government of the day is setting out upon a very dangerous course,” said Mr. Wilson. “This Council has been in existence for about 90 years, and. it has rendered great service to New Zealand. I would like to draw the attention of members to this fact, that our Parliamentary institutions are based upon the same ceremonies and methods as the British Mother of Parliaments many hundreds of years old.” All other members of the British Commonwealth had followed the example of Britain in retaining the bicameral system of governing, added Mr Wilson, who said that if New Zealand reduced its system to one chamber it would be alone in that respect among members of the Commonwealth. Mr. Wilson, who was speaking in the Address-in-Reply debate, said: “Whatever Government decides to abolish the check provided by the second chamber in this country, takes upon itself a tremendous responsibility.” Any Government, he added, could make the Upper House a more useful institution if it had the will and the desire to do so. This was one of the occasions when the Government had not a clear mandate from the people, said Mr. Wilson. They had said: “The Legislative Council as at present constituted should be abolished.” “I don’t think that it should be abolished,” said Mr. Wilson, “but that it should be reformed into a more worth-while chamber than it is at present.”