THE UPPER HOUSE

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1514, 9 August 1912, Page 5

THE UPPER HOUSE

— »- REFORM PROPOSALS. PROVISIONS OP THE BILL. Tho Legislative Council Elections liift contains thirty clauses and au elaborateset of rules for tho guidance of the returning officers in, determining llio result of u poll oii tho proportional represent ation f-ystcm. Tho methods to bo followed are based on tlio system introduced in tho JJouse of Commons by Lord Courtney. Tho significant clause of the measure is that stating that "members of the Council Khali hereafter bo elected, and not unpointed," but this is prefaced by a reference to the provisions for tho continminco of tenuro by members of the Council at tho commencement of tho Act, and provisions which "muy be provided with respect to members of tho Maori race." A definite understanding is given at tho outset that tho reconstituted Council will bo given no increase of power beyond that now exercised by the Second Chamber. Tho prohibitive provisions relate to measures appropriating revenue or money.', imposing taxation, or afiecting any proposed charge or burden on tho people Otherwise tho Council will hnvo equal powers with tho House of Representatives in respect of ail proposed Jaws, Method of Election. For (he purpose of electing members to the Legislative Council, New Zealand.is divided into two electoral divisions—Korth Island and South Island. Each division will return twenty members, elected by those qualified to vote at nu election of a member of tho House of Keproscnlativcs. Any person eligible, under (ho Legislature Act to bo a candidate for tho House may be elected a member of the Council, but no one may hold a seat in both Chambers, Present Members, Tho position of present members of th« Council is explained in (he last clause of the Bill, which provides that:— •*(1) Nothing in this Act shall affect any person who, on tho commencement of this Act, is a member of the Council, and every such person shall continue as , a member as if this Act had not pawed. ' . "(2) .Except as may be provided willi respect to members' of tho llaori race, no person shall hereafter bo sumnnnod to the Council under Section 2 of tho principal (Legislature) Act." . The effect of theso provisions is that present members will not retire until (ho expiry of the terms for which they, wcro appointed, and the seven life member*

will similarly lomain in the Council until > their resignation or death, Building Up the Council.At the next general.election, (cn'mem* hers for each electoral division will bo elected to servo in tho Council, so Unit tho full complement of elected Members will bo completed at tho second general election after the passing of the Pill. At the general election next succeeding, and at every election afterwards, one-half of tho .members returned for each division i will retire, but will bo eligible for re- ; election. The members who will vacate I their seats will bo those who have served longest in tho Council without rc-olee,tion. Any member appointed to fill a casual vacancy will retire at tho election at which his predecessor would havo vacated his seat had 'he remained in the Council,

Conduct of Elections, Whenever necessary, a returning officer will bo appointed for each electoral division, and every returning officer appointed l'ov tho election of a member of the House will act as an assistant returning officer in Council elections. Candidates must be nominated by not less than two electors, and each nomination must ba' accompanied'by a deposit of .-ClO, which -'_ will bo forfeited if the total votes received '. ' by the candidate are less than one-third of the quota. The quota in each division; \ is determined by dividing tho total mink v ber of first preference voles by eleven ' (the number of vacancies increased by \ ono) and adding one to tho result. Tho. > election will )yc taken on tho ilny rf tho — ' general election, but the ballot papers will bo distinctly coloured. Tho same polling places will 'bo used. Scrutineers, on behalf of candidates for tho Council, will not bo allowed, but two supervisors for each division will bo nominated by tho | Council to watch tho official count by tho returning officer of each division.

Electors and Ballot Papers. Provision ih ma do for absent vol-org - J and seamen to exercise votes. The ballot paper will contain tho names of all Ilia „ candidates in tlio division, and the voter ; must place, in tho squares opposite tho names of three candidates tho figures 1, 2, .1, to indicate tho order of his pieforence. Ho may also indicate, his preference for as many of tho other candidates as ho pleases, but the bnlliit-papr** * will bo informal if tho number of candi- "' dates marked in tho order of tho voter'a preference is less than three. . >

Filling Vacancies,

Tlio remaining provisions of tho Bill are machinery clauses, containing instruction for returning officers as to tho' conduct of elections. Two other clauses .are of interest. They provide that scats vacant owing to an insufficient number of candidates and casual vacancies, aio to be filled by a ballot of all the members of tha Council in session. A member elected in this manner wi.ll retain his - seat for as long as the member vhosa •seat became vacant would have retained, it if tho vacancy had not occurred.