LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ACT.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 September 1920, Page 1

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ACT.

• DISCUSSED BY COUNCIL. (Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 17. Iu flic Legislative 'Council tfife afternoon Hon. Gow mdvbd liis motion expressing opinion that the Legislative Council Act, 1914' mdking Council elective on proportional representation tivesliould not Be Brought into operation. Hon. Gow thought that the time was’ :n----oppdi tuiie for an ifnpartant 6bnstitutional change. The qreation of a second elected Chamber would be likely in stay case, to cause frictiori and deadlocks. Hon. T'riggs seconded and talked about the dangers of a’ leap in the dark. The Council had done jfeify, good work under the present constitution. Hon. Izard moved an amendment that the Act should not operate in its present form. He approved of the elective principle. Sir Francis Bell told Councillors that Government had never declared its intention of abandoning this policy measure wliiich" had been passed in 1914, and suspended for various reasons, *riefudihg the war. He had not changed his mind. He would not be a party to any legislation affecting this principle of the Act, nor would he remain in any administration which produced such legislation. The Government had promised an opportunity for reconsideration of the details of this elective scheme before it became operative, but he stood by he Act which would became operative automatically, without any fur- . flier legislation. j The debate was adjourned at this stage. ;

The House spent the (evening on the Immigration Bill Wliioo' £bt thi'Oii’gh committee without any] amendments’ than those proposed by Government, for the gen'eral improvement of the measure. Amendments moved by the Labour members were defeated by considerable majorities. .