UPPER HOUSE REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1883, 17 October 1913, Page 4

UPPER HOUSE REFORM.

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS. Some interesting references wero mado in the House of Representatives yesterday , to the latest appointment to the Legislative Council, and incidentally to the subject of reform of tho Tipper House. Mr. G. W. Russell had placed a question on the Order Paper in which lie asked tho Prime Minister what significance attached to the appointment of Sir Wm. Hall-Jones to the Council. The Prime Minister's reply was to the' effect that the Government had initial od a reform by ignoring political considerations in making the appointment. Commenting upon this reply yesterday Mr. Russell said that in asking the question he had expressed the opinion that tho appointment was an excellent one. Tho Primo Minister, howover, had skilfully evaded the point of ; his, question. He regarded every gentleman who was appointed to the Legislative Council for a term of, seven : years ns a stumblinc-block in the way' of the reform tho Government professed themselves anxious to secure. Ono of the Government's new appointees had saidUhat the Government wanted the country to £0 over tho precipice, and he was not prepared to go ovor. ' - Mr. Massey: Ho voted for tho Bill. Mr. Russell contended that the Government was blocking tho way to tho reform which it. was pledged to carry out. As to what the Prime Minister had said about establishing a reform in connection with appointments to the Council, he woula not contend that past Governments had always acted wisely in connection with appointments to tlie TJppor House, but lie knew of instances in which the party to which ho belonged had offered to appoint political opnonents to tho Upper House, and, tho offers had been refused.

Tho Prime Minister: Never heard oi them.

Mr. Russell said that he knew of ono gentleman who was alive to whom such an offer had been made, and of another who had passed away. As ho was oxpressing a desiro to tender "one pieco of advice" to the Prime Minister, ho was rung down. Xhe Hon. W. F. Massey replied to the statement, that while the Government were professing to bo anxious for tho reform of tho Council, they^wero still, by making appointments with a currency of seven years, placing difficulties in the way of reform. In the Legislative Council there was a majority against the Government proposals. He was not -sure that there was a majority in favour of the retention of the' present state of affairs. The majority against the Government proposals was" not correctly indicated by tho division of a few days ago. The reform of the Upper House had been delayed by what had taken place, during the present session, and last session. but while it was being delayed, he honed and believed, and lie said advisedly, that the reform the Government were working for would bo provided for on tho Statute Book before the end of the present Parliament. Mr. Hanan: Will the Bill pass as Massoy: Did the honourably gentleman ever see a Bill introduced into any Parliament that passed exactly in the "form in which it was introduced? But, ho added, the main principles of the scheme would be adhered

to. . _ An Opposition member: How many new appointments will be'made? Mr. Massey: I am not in the witnessbox.