THE PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1399, 21 June 1881, Page 3

THE PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

TO THE EDITCK. Slßjv-rXhe' proposed,. cfyj*ngp, in^qthe mode of appointing Members of the Legislative C6tincil demands^ the earnest attention of every thoughtful man who takes an. interest in the representative institutions under which we are governed, and I am disposed to join issue with you and the Member for Waipa on that subject, as judging from your aifciole in the Waikato Times of the 9th inst and Mr. Whitaker's address to his constituents, on which the former is based, you are both opposed to any innovation in the ultraconsoivativo systom under which the Council is at present appointed. I .must confess to a considerable degree of astonishment at reading Mr. WJbritaker'a remarks on the proposed change. For a thoiough-going Liberal, as he has always been supposed to be, his sentiments are to say the least decidedlyconservative, and it brings to my mind the often quoted old proverb 'Tcmpora mutatitar ct nos matamnr in Ulh. Ie may be assumed the present Government have not taken up tbis reformation, (for "such I hold it to be) without careful and mature consideration, being as they undoubtedly are eminently a practical Government, and as utteily devoid of anything approaching to sentimental changes, if I may use the term, as any Government can be ! It may also be supposed that their sympathies will be more in unison with the Council as at present constituted, than those of their oppanents, seeing that the late Government never was bopular with the Upper House, especially since the defeat of the Maori dual vote, on which occasion two members of the late Government expressed sentiments not very fiiendly tow mis the present constitution of the Council. For iwy part I can see nothing else in it than another step in the great Liberal programme promised continuously by the late Government and carried nut an a great measure by their successors. It always seemed to me a great mistake, showing a want of consistency and earnesfcne&sofpurposeinSir George Grey; that when Mr Curtis introduced his Bill in '78 for the election of tho Council by the Representative House, the late Government, instead of accepting the principle of tho measure, opposed it on tho motion of the " previous question" by the Attorney General, Mr Stout. Mr Curtis speech on that occasion was>, as his speeches always were, a pleasure to listen to, for its moderation, sound reason, mild aud gentlemanly deliverance, and the evident care with which the subject had been thought out. Unfortunately the meie tpt,c da it of the Attorney General was sufficient to carry the "previous question," aud Mr Curtis motion lapsed with very scant courtesy. And yet Mr Stout had previously published an aiticle in the Mclboiont, Review in which he stated "our Legislative Council is practically the creature of tho Miuibtry of the day," on the strength of which Mr Curtis claimed his support, and I have shown how it was acceded to. Though not willing to agree with Mr Stout as far as that, I think it must be admitted the constitution of the Council is such that at any time it may become so. Witness the fact that in the two years duung which the late Government held office no less than nine appointments were made to the Council, of whom five were political supporters m the House of Representatives, and it is not going too far to say some of tho nine would never have graced the Council if they had had to stand the test of the ballot in the other House. Mr Whitaker says "the Council should give way, and that they would only do this so long as they were nominated."' Without discussing the logical conclusion arrived at, for which I confess it is, difficult to see the basis I would ask what is the use of the Council at all if thoy can be compelled to give way whene\cr thcie l.s a difference of opinion between the two Houses ? To adopt that principle simply means to reduce the Council to a nullity. In the case of the Maori dual vote, the Council did not give way, and I am sure the country upheld them in the course they took. We have constantly held up to us as a warning the system of electing the Council in Victoria and the results thciefiora, altogether oblivious of the fact that nothing approaching the Victoiian system is proposed hero. I should ceitainly strongly oppose thai, system, which iB nothing more than election by a larger property qualification, seemingly going on the .supposition that tho larger the property, the brains and political capacity increase in a like ratio. This basis v,e know in mnn}' instances to boa fallacy, and I think I may safely -venture the opinion, that if the constitution of Victoria was to be rem>dellcd, while no attempt would likely bo made to introduce the nominated systom, some mode of election other than that at present in force would most likely be adopted. In the original constitution for this colony as drafted by Sir, George Grey, the Legislative Council was to be elected by, the Piovincul CounciK, the most perfect form of Government ever known as I have heard it styled. After a change of Government in England, the system was altered to its picsent form, notwithstanding tho vehement opposition of Mr. Gladstone and other prominent Liberals We have now a stiiking anomaly in the constitution of two bodies of like .political standing if I may so term it, from which to draw comparison I refer to the Waste Lands Board and the Board of Education. In the latter body elected — it must be admitted m a cunibeisome manner — by the people dncct, a great amount of trouble and attention arc devoted to the proper cairying out of duties of ' very great importance to the whole population, and 1 think it will be generally admitted the results aie, in tho main, satisfactory. In the former, which is undoubtedly the most irresponsible body known ''to the constitution ' of the colony, 'the results are not by any means so satisfactory to the people at large, though the duties that body ■ are called upon to perform are by no means onerous 1 , while as a further contrast to the working of the Board of Education, we have the wretched embroglio into which the Board of Governors of, the Grammar School have ' floundered, traceable in a great measure to the nominee system under which they are appointed. (I ( I would venture to suggest that an import taut end to bo aimed at in the .constitution of the Legislative Council would be to secure a body "composed of! nieri of,, political age ami, matured' experience ?] who, without being antagonistic for 'the Bake of showing their power orec the otl oHouse, from which they would , have r sprung' (be it te'inetnbdretl under the 'p|e-"< sent proposal)' and which oil that a'ccpuht they might be supposed to hold wkiu'clly ( remembrance, would yot be 'a wholesome ' check on the I legislation l 'of 'a >r> House ' possibly containing, a number of young and inexperienced men,,' whos.e, ideas migMj'Wqrn'do'aiijl imni&tur ( e{ and" wh^o might be wofkefct 'up "by- party' claihis to L vote 1 ' for ' measures ' unsuitable' f oj" permanent working, and which '-in' 1 '.callner moineiitsf would nol be'ac^epte'd'by'the country 'at large. ! 1 ' kno\V 'of 'tad Way by which< these e'H'ds ! coul& ( 'be'a'ttanied ,with a better cjiance of permanent sudcesB't¥an by the , nysmat 'Sketched out by the ?remier|* wh&h" is identical with that proposed by Mt Curtis three jfearsago,

under which the Upper House, elected for a limited period of either seven or ten years, would oe composed of men originally elected, by the^ constituencies, and, who iniihe Lower HousTv^by-shcAving apolitical Ability and' trustworthiness, would receive the confidence of their brother members, and be considered as safeguards for the good government of th'ejcouhtrjp.\" A3 ,for thte proposition for 4>]ie * two Houses to' sit together as one body it must be remembered the principle of that is in force now, as, when neither House will give way .on ij/6lhls'a conference" is arranged of an equal number of members of each body who sit together and decide the disputed questions. I think it is the first time, a 'oonstitptibnal change of so, much'implortance (saving the abolition of the provinces) has been proposed by any Government of this country, and itfis to be hoped it will receive calm and dispassionate consideration, altogether devoid of party feeling. I did not intend to have trespassed so much on your columns, but the subject is of great importance, and, £ikk fri&trmlpny^iiot to be lightly entered-inro.— lata^ etc., ; Edward G. McMiNiJ. Harapepe, 12th<June, 188 i.