THE UPPER HOUSE.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 847, 23 March 1903, Page 2

THE UPPER HOUSE.

The death of Sir George Whitmore adds to the somewhat considerable number of vacancies in the Legislative Council which the Government has to fill. We might hope, were hope not exhausted, that the Administration would make such appointments as would help to place the nominee chamber upon the footing it was originally intended it should occupy. If we are to have a Second Chamber—and the almost universal experience of our civilisation favors second chambers as a check upon hasty and ill-considered legislation —it should be one which carries weight and inspires confidence. It will hardly be ser-ousiy contended that our Legislative Council possesses this character. Filled from the minor members of that class, it has become the automatic creature of the Government, afflicted with all the weakness of the elected assembly and wanting the compensating feature of popular endorsement. Barely is a stroDg man or one having recognised claims upon the confidence of the public accorded what is>rapidly becoming a very doubtful honor. The accompanying salary makes the position sought after, but as far as the usefulness of the Council is concerned the taxpayer fiuds it a costly and unprofitable arrangement. In spite of all that has been said against the British House of Lords elevations to the peerage have long been generally iimited to men - who have some tangible claim to Boya] recognition. Science, art, literature, industrialism, as well as politics, war and wealth, have contributed their best to the second chamber of the United Kingdom. If we are not to have some such reform instituted in this colony, a reform which might possibly be made more easy of attainment if pecuniary emoluments did not excite the ambition of really unqualified persons, an elected second chamber would probably be an improvement. At any rate, an elected Council could not be any less useful or less representative than the present one and its quality would depend entirely upon the public choice,— Herald.