WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 April 1932, Page 8

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OVER ITS BEAD

(Special Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, April 26

The 'Legigiativ# Council Act, which has been hanging over the head of "The General Assembly of, New Zealand.” is now approaching its eighteenth anniversary, having been passed by both branches of Parliament and finally endorsed bv the Governor-General of; the day, His, Excellency the Karl of Liverpool, on the fifth day of November l&l-t. 4,.. is scarcely necessary to say, even at this distance of time, that this revolution in the political constitution of the Dominion’s Parliament was brought about by a promise made by the late Right Hon. W. F. Massey during his successful campaign in 1913 and carried to fruition by his very capable and tactful colleague the Right Hon. 'Sir Francis Bell. It may be interesting to recall that Sir Francis, the leader of the Legislative Council, with a desire to avoid party conflict, from July 1912 to December 1928. including his four years in the National Ministry from 1915 to 1919, a total of twentysix years, holds the longest term of continuous .service rendered by ' any politician within the British Empire.

THE ACT ITSELF. The Legist 1 a tiv-e Council Act as it. was shaped by Parliament was plain enough and presumably was accepted by the Governor-General without de- ! mure. A few paragraphs from its “commencement,” “interpretation” and “regulations” may be quoted. (1) Tits Act except .section twenty-three hereof, shall commence on the first day of Jr unary, nineteen hundred and sixteen; section twenty-three hereof shall come into operation on the date of the passing of this Act. (3) The Governor may from time to time, by order in Council Gazetted, m-ko such regulations as are deemed necessary for the effective admiinistratjion of this Act. (4) This Act .shall have effect notwithstanding nnvthing to the contrary in the Constitution Act, and that Act shall be construed subject to the provisions of this Act. (5) Proposed x ilaws appropriating revenue or money or, imposing taxation shall not originate fin the Council. . . The Council may not amend any proposed law so as to increase any proposed charge or burden on the people.” And so on and so on, if would seem, without any purpose likely to he detrimental to the- public- at large. OPPOSITION’S OBJECTION'S. When the Bill came before, the House on the eve of the general election m 1914, however, the Liberal Party, with six Labour members at it heir back; took strong exception to' the' Reform Party starring off on the new .system which would give it, irrespective of the seven j life members, a majority of whom were disposed towards (Reform, a majority of eight members ; in the second year a majority of eight; in the third year a majority of ten; in the fourth year (when there would be an election of twenty-four members the distribution of whom could not be foreseen), a majority of sixteen; in the fifth year a majority of eighteen ; in the sixth year a majority of fourteen, by which time, both the Reform and the Liberal nominated candidates would have been exhausted. As the Reform Party remained in office practically from 1911 to 1928 it iis reasonable to suppose that it would have remained, in possession of the Legislative Council] under the scheme propounded Mr Massey arid Sir Frances Be/1 until its temporary rebuff of 1922. WHAT OF THE FUTURE. Of course the Bill passed through both the Legislative Council and the House of Representatives without any effective opposition. Mr Massey and •Sir Francis 801 l had made up their minds that the measure, having been promised to the public, had to be delivered. It is doubtful if the rank and file of either the Council or the House attached much importance to the move, meat. Mr Massey was bent upon keeping Ills word and a sufficient majority Hollowed him into the ‘‘Ayes” lobby without who'ly understanding the nature of their obligation. Early in the following session if was generally I recognised that the Liberal Party had been considerably strengthened, at. the polls and Mr -Maissey made overtures | to the leader of .the Opposition for coalition during the progress of the war then expected to be a strife of no more than a year or so. Sir Joseph I Ward stipulated for a suspensVm of tin- j Legislative Conner' Act which had been i carried through both Houses a.t the dose of the previous session and ulti-1 mutely with the good offices of the GVn'oii'nor-G'e.neial got Iris way. And there the matter still rests. |