LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1231, 13 September 1911, Page 5

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

RUMOURED APPOINTMENTS CRITICISED. (By Telegraph— Special Correspondents Auckland, September 12. The "Herald" considers the suggested appointment of the few retiring members to the Legislative Council is an argument for tho reference of nil vacancies to the electors. Tho paper says: From the protests made when' Sir Joseph Ward accepted n purely honorary and hereditary title, which docs not cost the Dominion a shilling, or subordinate one citizen of tho Dominion io. tho authority of the Wards, it might have been imagined that tho heart of democracy had been pierced, but no protest arises from our self-styled "Liberals," or from our "Rising-tido Democrats," when wo arc told that Sir William Steward, Mr. Frank Lawry, Mr. Charles Hull, and Mr. Alfred Dillon are to bo empowered, on tho solo authority of tho Ward Administration, to share potchtially in ruling us, in making laws over us, and ia regulating lis for a series of years. - : - ' \ Mr. F. Lawry, member for P/rnoll, states that thcro is not a word of truth in (ho persistent rumour which has been extensively circulated in Auckland, that ho has been offered a seat in the Legislative Council. Ho adds that, as a- matter of fact, he has never Fpokeu to a Minister on the question of the appointment indicated, and that no Minister has spoken to him, even in a casual way, about 1 . It may be pointed out that some of tho rumours afloat state, not thaMr Uxm has been offered a seat in .10 Council but that tho appointment will bo offered The Prime Minister stated last evening that no appointments would bo made to tho Legislative Council until after tho general election. In the interim, no consideration would bo given to the matter.