The Dominion. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1012. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORM

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1565, 8 October 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1012. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORM

' m — '■ —■ The Prime Minister and the Minister for Finance, when defending their proposals for the reform of the Legislative Council on Friday night of last week, had no difficulty in making out au overwhelming case for reform. The opposition they had to encounter can fairly be described as merely factious, so little did Mn. Bussell and his friends exert themselves to hide the weakness •aid triviality of their arguments. The first resolution proposed by the Government simply affirmed that reform is necessary, and we cannot see how Mr. Russell's wrecking amendment can be considered as other than what Mr. Allen called it: an antiI'cform amendment. Everybody knows, as the Minister for Finance pointed out, that the Government will bring in, before the next general election, a measure for the reform of the system - under which the House is elected, and when he gave the member for Avon an opportunity to deny that this is so, Mr. Russell hastily disclaimed doubting the pledge of the Priiie Minister on the point. That being so, we are at a loss to understand what argument can be advanced against the affirmation by the House of the need for a reform which the Government was elected to carry into effect, which the country has long demanded, and the necessity for which has been recognised even by the party now in Opposition. What the Opposition had to show was that the Government should begin with the reform of the method of electing the House (by undoing the blundering of the late Government) before even discussing the older and more clamorous grievance. On the face of it, nobody could establish such an absurdity; and Mr. Allen had the easiest of tasks in exposing the pure factiousness of the amendment. But the public will be anxious to know what the Government's exact intentions are for this session. Neither Minister appears to have made it clear that the short Bill limiting the term of any future appointments 'to the Council that may become necessary will be passed this year. Mr. Allen, after saying that the position at the present moment was that a conflict between the two Houses had begun, proceeded to make tho following statement: The Upper Houso had been given a chance to reform itself, and after passing tho second reading of a Reform Bill, had thrown the Bill out. It would probably be several years before the campaign between the two Houses was fought out. An essential preliminary was to reduce tho number of years for which men were appointed to the Upper House. Failing this, the Governmentmight ho compelled to appoint additional members for a term of seven years, in order to carrv its reform proposals through tho Upper House. The Upper Houso had started a fight that would have to bo taken right through, lho issuo was whether an Upper House or tho people themselves should rule in regard to tho constitution of Parliament. The reference to "the campaign between tho two Houses" which may take "several years" to fight out may bo a general reference to the disagreements thafr'rniy precede a final settling down to the new system, and not a, referonoo at all to the length of time it will take the Government to effect tho constitutional reform. The public will certainly not be satisfied with any long delay in ending the nominative system. If it chose, the Government could get the whole thing done within twelve months from now. The short Bill limiting to three years tho term of any new appointments to the Conn-' cil could be passed this-session by the House, and if it were rejected by the Council, tho country would appro™, and indeed would desire, a sufficient number of new appointments to break down the barrier against the ultimate reform. At the present time, it is understood, many numbers are exceedingly anxious to have the session end quickly; but that is no reason why the Government should not carry through the House a substantial first instalment of Upper House reform. If they will check their garrulity and settle down seriously to work, members on' the Speaker's left will have ample time to supply all the necessary criticism and yet allo.w something to be cone. But if they will not settle clown seriously the Pruie Minister should resolve that business will be transacted all the same. He will! probably make some statement today respecting the sessional programme, and tho friends of Reform will be disappointed if he does not announce some further steps to be taken this session regarding the Upper House.