NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1858, 18 September 1913, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The question of Legislative Council reform is again under discussion in the Upper House and the whole question, including the report of the Select Committee, will again be threshed out on the motion to go into Committee on the Government's Bill providing for an elective Second Chamber. The Legislative Council has already debated the matter _ so fully that this further discussion may seem little more than a waste of time. It is possible, however, that the investigations of the Select Committee may have thrown some new light on the subject and members of the Council may in consequence have reversed their opinions in certain particulars. The fact that this Committee, after careful ■ and exhaustive inquiry, could find no better alternative to the Government's proposals than a system. rf election by both Houses of Parliament—practically a perpetuation of the evils of the present party nomination .system—must have some influence on members who arc prepared to approach the question with an open mind. The Hon. Mr. Sinclair who opened the debate yesterday with an admirable spcech frankly confessed that while he was prepared to defend the Council against attacks which had been made on it, and while he claimed that as at present constituted it had done good, useful work, yet they had to face the fact that the time had come when a change was necessary. In his closely reasoned and dispassionate survey of the position ho could not have failed to carry conviction _ tohis fellow members that in making that change they could not withhold from the people the right to have at least some voice in the choice of their representatives. Mr. Sinclair does not go the whole length of the Government's proposals, Earlier in the session bo urged that the Sccond Chamber,

which would best serve the interest's of the Dominion would be one partly elective and partly nominative. His idea then was that one-half the members of'the Council should be elected by the people and one-half nominated by the Government of the day. Yesterday he went a step further in the direction of the Government's proposals. He was prepared, lie said, to go the length of supporting a change which provided for three-fourths of the members of the Council being elected by the. people and one-fourth nominated by the Government. Some of the arguments advanced by Mr. Sinclair in support of his proposal are good and valid ones, and a Chamber so constituted would be a great improvement on the present nomination system. We are in complete agreement with his view that, lifenomination is better than nomination for a comparatively brief term of years. The ideal Second Chamber, in our opinion, would bo one created on a basis of nomination for life provided of course that there was guarantee of a wise and careful selection on merit alone; but that guarantee cannot be given and the nomination system does not commend itself to the people of the Dominion. The debate seems likely to extend over several days, and while it is improbable that anything approaching the high standard set yesterday by _ the Hon. Mr. Sinclair will be maintained throughout some interesting and informative speeches may be looked forward to, ere the Government's Bill is allowed to get into Committee, when its troubles will begin in real earnest.

During the early hours on Wednesday morning a little progress was made with the Estimates in tlTe House of Representatives and after the passing of the Mental Hospitals vote, which had been held up since about 4 o'clock on Saturday morning, members, at the suggestion of the Prime Minister, had a few hours' respite. An adjournment was made from a little after 3 o'clock until 10 o'clock. The result was beneficial. On resuming at 10 o'clock progress, though slow, continued to be made, and by 5.30 p.m. a good part of the balance of the Internal Affairs Department Estimates had been disposed of. In the evening the Cook Islands section proved a stumbling/block for an hour or two, but at time of writing matters appear to be progressing reasonably enough. Now that the deliberate and systematic obstruction of business by the Opposition seems _to have been dropped—for the time being at least —it is made more clear than ever that no good purpose was served by the extreme tactics of the opponents of the Government. Whatever ground of complaint may have existed before certain Departmental reports were presented, there was no justification in continuing the obstruction as was done after the reports came down. It is to be hoped that members will now settle down to business in earnest and endeavour .to make up for the time wasted.

The Italian elections appear to be creating great excitement. A cablegram published in another column states _ that rioting has occurred at Casoria and conflicts have taken place between the police and the mob. The Socialist party has been very active for some time past. It is directing its attack mainly against colonial expansion and the military expenditure, and is advocating a drastic tariff reform policy. Important changes in tho electoral law and tho education system are also planks in the, Socialist platform. It is very difficult to forecast the result of the present elections owing to the fact that an Electoral Bill passed last year extended the franchise to about 5,000,000 new voters, more than doubling the present electorate. The Komo correspondent of the Morning Post recently stated that "had Signor Giolitti dissolved the Chamber immediately after the Treaty of Lausanne was signed the Socialists would have been decimated. Now, however, that -the enthusiasm for Libya has had time to cool, and it is seen that the Treaty of Lausanne has not ended cither the war or the expense, the Socialists, instead of losing many, will probably gain a few seats. But the chief gainers by the new electoral law will probably be' tho Clericals, especially in Venetia and in the South. Anyhow, Siqnor Giolitti is sure of 'a majority; but the critical moment for him will arrive when, early in the new Parliament, new and unpopular taxes have !o be imposed to meet the continued expenses of the war in Libya. Then he will doubtless retire and put in a stop-gap, as on two former occasions, in 1905 and 1910." There have been some rapid changes of Government in recent years. Signor Fortes took office as: Premier in 1905 having succeeded Signor Giolitti. In February of tho following year Baron Sonnino came .into power; but his Government was of brief duration, being replaced in May by that of Signor. Giolitti who resigned in 1909. Baron Sonnino then took office once more, only to be followed a few months afterwards_ by Signor Luzzatti, whose Cabinet contained a strong Radical element. This Government had to make way in March, 1911, for another Giolitti Ministry which is still in office.