THE FRANCHISE IN VICTORIA.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2228, 19 April 1881, Page 3

THE FRANCHISE IN VICTORIA.

[Br Telegraph.] fPer s.s. Te Anau, at the Bluff ] MELBOURNE, April 11. On April 6th, Sir 0. Sladen in the Council introduced a motion for a select committee to meet a similar committee from the Assembly for the purpose of jointly considering the reform of the constitution. Mr Reid, the Government representative, suggested that the Government Bill be read secondly, and amended where necessary, and sent back to the Assembly, leaving that Chamber to ask for a joint committee. Messrs Outhbert and Fitzgerald supported the motion, which was passed. Upon the Council’s message being received in the Assembly, Mr Berry immediately agreed to a joint committee. After half an hour’s adjournment Mr Berry submitted the names telegraphed, which were received with ill-favor by the Opposition. Mr Murray Smith declared that he would not help a friendly settlement. Sir J, O’Shanassy called the committee a farce, and considered the omission of his own name was a personal insult. Mr Berry replied in a bri»k opeeoh, saying that he was determined not to allow "the Assembly’s Bill to be torn up in another place. In the Assembly the committee was voted by ballott. Word was given privately to Ministerialists to omit Mr Wrixon’s name, who accordingly only received 31; Berry, 73 ; Tucker and Vale, 64 j Mirams, Longmore and Pearson, 40. Mr Berry, replying to Sir J. O’Shanassy’s complaint of omission from the committee, said warmly that all obligations were entirely cancelled by Sir J. O’Shanassy’s opposition in August last. The latter commenced to reply, saying that Mr Berry had violated certain promises and committed false acts, when he was stopped by the Speaker, who declared him out of order. Sir B. O’Loghlen essayed to continue Sir J. O’Shanassy’s narrative, but was similarly dealt with by the Speaker. The committees from the Council and Assembly met on the 7th. After a slight demur from the Assembly representatives, the Press were admitted. Sir O. Sladen recommended for consideration the constitution of the Council, the relations of the two Houses, and the Electoral Act. Mr Berry thought that the Bills of the two Houses were sufficient for discussion, which was ultimately agreed to. Sir O. Sladen and others recommended that the Upper House should have forty-two members, or proportionately to the present Assembly, to which Mr Berry did not object, and that tbe Council's tenure be six years, leaving the joint dissolution open. Sir O. Sladen then introduced the question of proportional representatives, but tne Assembly members objected on the ground of novelty and ineligibility. Mr Outhbert definitely proposed that the franchise should be £lO for freehold and £2O for occupiers, and it was agreed thereupon to adjourn the discussion. The conference of committees sat from two o’clock until six o’clock yesterday debating the question of the franchise, without arriving at a conclusion. Sir C. Sladen mentioned that the proposal submitted by Mr Outhbert at the previous sitting was in no way endorsed by the Council’s representatives as a whole. Business was commenced by Sir C. Sladen pressing for a statement whether tbe Assembly admitted that the principle should be one rating qualification for an owner of freehold property, and one for the occupier. Two hours were spent in discussing this point, Mr Vale undertook to show that the occupier was a more responsible and trustworthy citizen than the owner, but the Council members adhered to the view that the man who invested his savings in real estate had given a sort of guarantee of his intention to permanently reside in the colony, while the occupier had not. Ultimately Mr Berry suggested that all freeholders on the ratepayers’ roll should have the franchise. The committees conferred apart for half-an-hour, and Sir C. Sladen then intimated that the Council’s representatives were unanimous in offering £lO as tbe ratepaying qualification for owners, £25 qualification for occupiers, the existing arrangements with regard to plural voting to be maintained. Mr Berry offered to accept £lO as a rating franchise for owners and occupiers alike. Both expressed surprise at the ultimatum of tbe other. The Assembly's representatives urged that the Service Bill proposed £lO, £2O qualification, and that the country rejected even that in favor of a ratepayers’ roll. The Council committee replied that the Service Bill did not bind the Upper House, and that in descending from £SO franchise to £lO far owner and £25 for occupier the Council were making an enormous concession. Sir Charles Sladen declared that it was monstrous to expect the Council to descend from £SO franchise to £lO at a jump. It was agreed that if no understanding could be arrived at with regard to the franchise, the Conference must be abandoned, and a meeting was arranged to take place at two o’clock this afternoon to give the committees a final opportunity of coming to terms. Tbe difference between the Council and the Ministry was very much narrowed down by yesterday’s proceedings. The Council has at present 32,000 voters. The new franchise proposed by the Council gives 108,000 extending the franchise to 76,000 new men. The final proposition of the Assembly is to extend the franchise to 142.000 electors, giving the franchise to 110.000 new men, a difference of 34,000 voter* in tbe two propositions. Both House* agreed to tbe £lO rating qualification for owner*. The difference is that the Council requires £25 rating for occupiers, and the Assembly wants £lO rating qualification. Though little would now seem to separate the two Houses, yet tbe Conference broke up as if nothing was to oome of its labors.