Legislative Council.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 1026, 26 May 1871, Page 2

Legislative Council.

Lieut -Colonel Lambert, pursuant to notice, moved, a resolution to the effect* that in the opinion of this Council it was desirable that the Legislative Council should be an elected instead of a nominated body, as at present, —The proposed change was one which could not fail to be of great value, and was strongly desired by the great majority of the public. At present the members of the Upper House were appointed by the iviinistry of the day, who not unfrequently put in a number of men to carry some party object, v?knout regard to any other qualification, and the result was that men of mark in the lower house would not accept of seats in the upper. Mr Taxner seconded the which had his entire support. There was a strong feeling in this direction, which would find an outlet at the nextmeeting of the Assembly. The present' system was calculated to cripple the representation of the Colony, and to a great extent deprive the electors of their franchise. Small provinces were even more injuriously affected than the larger ones. In certain circumstance* the action of this essentially irresponsible body might be most disastrous to the Colony. There was but little analogy between it and the English House of Lords. He hoped ere long to see an end to the principle and practice of nomineeism. Mr Colenso hoped the motion would pass, and be productive of its desired result. The present constitution of the Legislative Council was one of the standing grievances of the Colony. He was not so sanguine of the great immediate advantage of the change as some of the members—he was a few years since very positive himself as to the great results of popular influence; but subsequent experience oi public apathy had brought him to the Conclusion that the public were not yet in a condition to know what it was to ha\e power in their hands. Tn the year 1862, a number of men of no note having been shunted into the Legislati"e Council to defeat the action of the House of Representatives, the latter body felt itself insulted, and the result was a proposition, introduced by himself, similar to the proposal now before the Council. Tlie resolution, after a long debate, was. rejected, and a similar result had followed similar propositions in subsequent sessions. He advocared that the various Provincial Councils petition session after session. Though no immediate results were attained, it must follow in time. Mr A'Deane opposed the motion, and had heard no conclusive arguments in its support. He denied that election brought the best men to the front; on the contrary, there were as many useful men in the upper house as in the lower, and as many dummies in the lower as in the upper. Mr Ormwd said the proposed reform must inevitably follow, sooner or later. He had long held this opinion, but he did not think the Provincial Councils were the proper bodies to move in the matter. The agitation should begin with the public themselves, and it would be for the Councils to second them. Otherwise, he did not see the slightest chance of success in the Assembly ; on the contrary, the Council would most probably meet with a snubbing. Yeair ago, the Legislative Council v\ as looked up to, and possessed the confidence of the Colony, but such was not the case now. While agreeing with the principle of the motion, he did not think this was the be.it way to bring it forward. Lieut.-Col, Lambert felt the reception of the resolution very satisfactory. As to what the member for Porangaban had said about the people, he thought it was for the Council to read and give expression to the public voice. Motion negatived on the following division ; Ayes, 6.—Messrs Colenro, Tanner, Lambert, Suttoiij. Ormond, and Maney. Noes, 7. Messi's. Kennedy* Lee % Tiffen, Dolbel, Johnston, A'Deane, and Russell, Wapier School Bill Mr Lee brought up the report of the select committee on tins Bill, which, was read,