The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1913. ELECTION BY- THE PEOPLE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1863, 24 September 1913, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1913. ELECTION BY- THE PEOPLE.

No one who heard the speech of the Hon. J. D. Ormond in the Legislative Council yesterday _ could have failed to be impressed with the feeling that tho opinions voiced were those of one who had given deep thought to the subject of the constitution of the Second Chamber, and who had been aided in arriving at the conclusions expressed by a long and active association with the politics and Parliamentary life of the Dominion. .It was a speech which unquestionably the Council, and there is much in it with' which we are in complete agreement. There is no doubt that the nomination system, where the only considerations' with those having 'the._ power to nominate are tho qualifications of the person nominated to render service in the office to which he is appointed, is likely to produce better results than ■ the_ elective _ system, where the Legislative Council is concerned. A Government' should be in a better position than the general public to know the particular qualities and experience _ required to render useful service in tho Second Chamber: and sho.uld not have any great, difficulty in finding men of proved service and ability to accept nomination. But everyone knows that tho nomination system 'has failed because under party government it too often happens that party considerations overweigh all others, and instead of the best qualified men being'selected for nomination, and instead of the public interest being studicid, men ill-fitted to perform the duties are frequently appipinted, as a reward for. party services, and with little concern for the effect of such action.. It is too obvious to call for argument: Me. Omiond admitted quite frankly that with the advent of the Continuous Ministry appointment by. merit disappeared, and in its place came the pernicious system of "spoils to the victors." How many outside the ranks of the party did the Continuous Ministry appoint to the Legislative Council during its twenty odd years of office? Can it be said that during that long period the only persons qualified to sit in the Legislative Council belonged to the side of the party then in power'! or can it even be said that those 'chosen .were the best qualified amongst those available on that particular side i Of course, nothing of the kind could be said. Some good appointments were made, bnt many very bad and quite unjustifiable ones.

It is hardly neccssary to repeat these facts, which are common knowledge, except to lead up to the position now reached as the result oi the report of the Select Committee .of the Legislative Council, which specially investigated the question of changing the constitution of the Second Chamber. That Committee admitted that the nomination system must go, and an election system take its place. That \vas_a material concession to public opinion, and the Leader of the Council naturally laid emphasis on the point when reviewing the position last evening. But the change recommended by the Committee—that of election by the two Hohses oi Parliament—would merely perpetuate the evil of the existing system. It would mean nomination under the guise of election, save in rare cases, when parties might lie so evenly balanced that the inevitable log-rolling ,ind wire-pull-ing would be liable to upset calculations. The Hon. H. D. Bki.i, submitted last evening that the position was now narrowed down to this: faction hxaJi Electoral College com-_

posed of the two Houses of. Parliament; or election by the people, and that no doubt is a correct summing up of the situation. There may be some Legislative Councillors who still cling to the idea that the nomination system may even yet bo saved, but such must be in a hopeless minority. As between the two elective proposals, however, it seems plain from the speeches delivered during the debate just closed, and from the attitude of Councillors on previous occasions, that those who favour election by the two Houses of Parliament are in a majority. That is to say: that the Government's Bill will in all probability be amended in Committee to give effect to the Select Committee's recommendations. That the Government will not accept such amendment seems quite clear. Having, in facc of great difficulties, gained the first step towards the Reform -of the Upper House—the recognition of the elective principle—it is not likely to hesitate now to press forward with its claim that the people have the right to elect their own Parliamentary representatives. There may be objections to some of the details of the Government's measure, and these afford legitimate grounds for' disagreement and possibly amendment. Should the Legislative Council, however, amend the Bill, so as to keep from the people the power which Government proposes to place in their hands, then it may bo _ taken for granted that the Bill as thus amended will not pass into law. It will in all probability be held over for another session. Next year many changes in the personnel of the Legislative Council will, presumably, 'take place as the result of vacancies falling due, and with the Council as then ' constituted the Government should be able, to give effect to the principle it is striving for.