UPPER HOUSE

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1932, Page 6

UPPER HOUSE

NEW SOUTH WALES REFORM,

A VERY DIFFICULT PROBLEM*

SYDNEY, August 9.

One of the. most .pressing problems waiting the, New ( South, Wales. GayerUment, and at the same time on of the most difficult, is the reform of the 'Legislative Council, which was tlie one .obstacle tjm*. prevented Mr J. T. Lang from'enacting some- of his most extreme legislation. Had it not been for ;the split in ..the Labour ranks Mr Lang, by finding, seats for-his supporters, would have been able, to do as he liked, and; in order .to make- such a state of affairs.. 'unpossible, in the future the Stevens Government lias, made up .its „mind to' ,refc,rpi., the Upper bouse. '«

Upper House reform is a. matter oh which the Govornmnet, is in . disagreement with many. Of its. supppsei£.lt lias a clear mandate, from the eleevor,-, to do something, but. wliat Yliat: sqme : - ,‘fchipg should be has never been chani defined. The main difficulty will oome when an attempt is made to get the Reform Bill through, the Council itself. The scheme so far propquphpd fer an elective chamber of 45 members j with, possibly, 15. noniinifes.. Bill vyill be ve-ry much .qn the. lines of that H .proposed, by the last Nationalist port, onimeiit, under. Mr IjaViib/... and fliaf ( being .'sobthVj'e! are,; many Natipiialists in the llpmj|ij3oase beypref pared of its, provisions, vvill have .to, .face'tha &limisjtipn.. pf - sections of- thp La|w\r,>Ptirty,..fpr |ihe' straighf-r. .’ ; . Upper . IJouse; is one. on all Labour pl. .It .is - existing counciildil;: haveevery thing % :tu Jose and nothingko,,gain by any ehafigO in the system, so they are .nrtt Likely ..to look.enthusiastically upon, any. proposals, however ..virtuous they may be. Few of the rqnk and file of the councillors .would haye a hope of’ being elected on their merits -if they v.ent.lo, the -country—mapy.pn. both- sid.qs are paly, in the Upper. ‘Hopse because, they hav ( been rejected. By the electors, when th,ey stood, for. the Lower Hogse. JThey wpuld not bp assqyed, qveii,, of .lharty niqmination .in th.e .event of (in ,election. .. ... . . ; •The scheme -so far as it has. been revealed seems to contain many weaknesses. There will be bitter, objections 0n.,a1l sid.es.to,the nominee , proposal,' provided it is persisted in. gome will cal) it s ’undemocra'tic, and others are al!’r.,a<jy, recalling wha.t ,Mr ; Lang ' did-' under fhq.nomineq system. That principle may. be abandoned irt whi c h case it would .be difficult, for any,.- future Labour administration : to i-.evjve.it*' If. it is to.be a .purely .electiye. chamber; it would be only a. reflection of the As- . sembiy, and the case, of the , .(Federal, Senate is Leing recailed 'byi opponents of the Bill, jboth United. Australia i'ar-| ty. and, Labour Party.,, In any .case, a iieferendum, is. essen'biql'hefore. thing, can be done, and the ,l.qnger;,that; vote is delayed, the. less. ' Wil.l be- tbe, chance of a. favourable vote. , r