NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 25, 24 October 1919, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

ProbabijY those members of (he Legislative Council who expressed the view that women generally are not seriously concerned about securing the right to sit in the Upper Chamber are right. But jt is one thing not to want a privilege and quite another thing to be told that you cannot get it even if you do want it. In consequence the action of the Legislative Council yesterday in rejecting the Bill to give women the right to nomination to that Chamber is likely to provoke resentment amongst a wider circle than that which is represented by those women who have been actively interesting themselves in the matter. The strongest reason advanced for the rejection of the Bill is the fact that unless the new Parliament ypsets the, measure already passed jnaking the Legislative Council elective, womeii will within a short time have the right to sit in tho Upper House as well as in the House of Representatives by the vote of the people. In view of the change which is shortly to be made' converting the Legislative Council from a nominated to an elected Chamber it is undesirable that further nominations to the Upper House should be made from either sex. How far this view inthe votes of Councillors yesterday is not known, but the substantial majority against the measure suggests that in any circumstances its fate would have been precarious. It may fairly be asked: t)o the electors, men and women, want women to represent them in the Legislature of the country'! We doubt if public opinion has advanced sufficiently at the present time to lead to an atjswcr" being given in the affirmative. That, however, can be tested during the coming general elections, for the BUI passed earlier in the session gives women the right to contest seats in the House of Representatives.

» » • * The appointment by the Dominions of Resident Minister* to represent them in London is not necessarily the last word in Imperial representation, but in existing circumstances _it is a step which soems to be in every way advisable and necessary. The Prime Minister, when ■ the question was raised in Parliament yesterday, declared his belief that Canada, Australia, and South Africa would elect to be represented permanently by Ministers at tho capital of the Empire and that New Zealand ought to follow suit. His apparent readiness to postpone an actual decision in the matter is no doubt due to the fact that an Imperial Conference is to be held in the comparatively near future at which constitutional issues will be considered. It is not by any means unlikely that, one outcome of the Conference may be an agreement to rest content for the time being with representation by Ministers. Far as it stops short of the establishment of the Imperial Parliament which some people advocate this arrangement avoicta various difficulties and complications which seem to forbid the creation of such a Parliament. In particular it will loave tho Dominions in unhampered control of their own national affairs. If the Dominions voluntarily agree to contribute, each in equitable proportion, to the naval defence of the Empire, one of the arguments upon which the advocates of an Imperial Parliament have chiefly relied will be undermined.

Bei'iikshntatiok by a Minister in London is not, of course, an ideal arriini" im int. but war-time, experience nf |,11 io frr'ii nf representation Bn~sfcstn that it might work reasonably well in peace In_ view of modern developments in rapid transport and improvements in moans of communication, there does not scorn to be any reason Vi'hy a

[Ministerial delegate should not keep in effective touch with his Dominion and accurately reflect its views. <• » * • A bright spot in the Railways Authorisation Bill introduced in Parliament yesterday is the preliminary provision made for the Paekakariki railway deviation. It cannot he said that the Minister in oliarire held out any. great hopes for the current financial year, hut it is something to have mado a beginning with an utidertakingwhieh so vitally concerns the working of the whole, of the railway system serving Wellington and the West Coast and middle district of tho North Island. Tho Paekakariki railway deviation is, of course, associated with the movement to secure a better r"ad route, over' the Paekakariki Hill by way of Plimmcrton and Pukcrua. The two undertakings should really to hand in hand, aud.it should ho the business of the, nennle of Wellington and tho .West Const districts to sec chat interest, in the project is not allowed to slacken. But "% is fhe.rc no mention in tho Public Works Statement, of the T?; .rrm l 'aka railway deviation 1 The Donn-Hniont may have, tins matter in hand, but if, not be allowed to slip into tho background.