CONSTITUTION OF THE COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 305, 18 September 1920, Page 8

CONSTITUTION OF THE COUNCIL

HON. J. B. GOW'S MOTION

1 CARHED

SNAP i DIVISION IN THE HOUSE

The legislative Council, by 23 votes to 5, carried the motion moved by tho Hon. J. B. Gow expressing the opinion that the legislative Council Act of 191-t, placing the Chamber on an elective basis, should not be brought into operation. The resolution' does not necessarily affect the legislation now on the Statuto Boole, but it has created an interesting situation.

Tho "House of Bepresentatives went into committee on, the Estimates early In the afternoon. The vote for the Eailway Department was taken first, and tho Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Wilf ord) moved a reduction of £5 as an indication that full political and civil rights shquld be granted to public servants. The division was taken without debate and resulted in a tie, the chairman of committees giving his casting vote agai i.6fc the amendment.

The test of tho afternoon was occupied by a discussion regarding children's fares on the railways. Members urged that concessions should bo made to children, chiefly on the ground that this would enable parents to make greater use of the railways for holiday purposes., A motion suggesting that children should be carried free up to seven years of ago was defeated, but tho Prime .Minister'promised favourable consideration to a proposal that the free age should be raised from throe years to 'five years. Many other matters connected with the railways were, discussed during tho early part of tho evening.

The estimates of the Forestry Department, the State Coal mines, the War Expenses Department and other Departments were taken later in the night. The last class of the 'Estimates was passed b ofore the House rose at 1 a.m.